Date of Award:

5-2026

Document Type:

Dissertation

Degree Name:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department:

Psychology

Committee Chair(s)

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez

Committee

Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez

Committee

Sara Boghosian

Committee

Michael E. Levin

Committee

Sauda Nabukenya

Committee

Travis E. Dorsch

Abstract

Mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress are common among Ugandan university students and can make it difficult for them to succeed in school or maintain well-being. However, many students do not have access to professional mental health care. Digital self-help programs can make support more available, especially when they are designed to fit the local culture and context. This project examined how an online program called ACT Guide Lite, which teaches skills from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), could be adapted for use with Ugandan college students. Students and other university community members first completed the program and then joined group discussions to share their experiences. Their feedback was analyzed using a structured framework to identify ways to make the program more relevant and user-friendly. Participants showed high engagement with ACT Guide Lite and reported that the program was helpful, acceptable, and easy to use. Only small changes were suggested, showing that the program’s stories and exercises already fit well with Uganda’s diverse languages, tribes, and cultures. Participants found the ACT metaphors and examples meaningful and easy to relate to. They also highlighted how mental-health stigma could be reduced by using more familiar terms such as stress instead of anxiety. Women reported somewhat higher distress levels than men, suggesting a need for greater attention to gender differences. Overall, the study found that ACT Guide Lite was both feasible and culturally appropriate for Ugandan students. Psychoeducation about mental health emerged as an important need but adding it directly to the program could make it too long and affect engagement. Future work should explore creative ways to provide brief, effective psychoeducation alongside self-help programs like ACT Guide Lite to address barriers to access in mental health services. This work helps make digital mental-health programs more accessible and relevant in Uganda and across sub-Saharan Africa.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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