School-based Group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Adolescents

Thriving Through the Storms: A School-based Mental Health Promotion Program for Building Psychological Flexibility and Resilience

The objective of the investigators' mental health promotion intervention premised on the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) framework in secondary school settings aims to enhance young people's psychological flexibility and reduce their emotional distress. ACT is an evidence-based approach that encourages individuals to act in alignment with their identified values. The investigator's team will employ an ACT protocol for adolescents developed by Louise Hayes and Joseph Ciarrochi. The study includes a single-group study design. The investigator will compare the pre- and post-intervention data to assess the feasibility and potential effectiveness of the group intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

Eligible participants are adolescents who reported mild to moderate severity of psychological distress, including those who report:

• a score of 5-19 on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), or
• a score of 5-14 on the General Anxiety Disorder-7, or
• a score ≥14 on the Perceived Stress Scale.

Exclusion Criteria:

Adolescents will be excluded if they exhibit or report:

• violent or aggressive behavior, or
• active self-injurious or suicidal thought, or
• active psychotic symptom.