A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Self-Guided Online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a Transdiagnostic Self-Help Intervention

Authors

Korena S. Klimczak, Utah State UniversityFollow
Guadalupe G. San Miguel, Utah State UniversityFollow
Miriam N. Mukasa, Utah State UnviersityFollow
Michael P. Twohig, Utah State UniversityFollow
Michael E. Levin, Utah State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Author ORCID Identifier

Korena S. Klimczak https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2173-6431

Guadalupe G. San Miguel https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2875-4010

Miriam N. Mukasa https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8928-5289

Michael P. Twohig https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2936-5962

Michael E. Levin https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5562-2366

Publisher

Routledge

Publication Date

2-27-2023

Creative Commons License

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

Abstract

Online Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) interventions use websites and smartphone apps to deliver ACT exercises and skills. The present meta-analysis provides a comprehensive review of online ACT self-help interventions, characterizing the programs that have been studied (e.g. platform, length, content) and analyzing their efficacy. A transdiagnostic approach was taken, including studies that addressed a range of targeted problems and populations. Multi-level meta-analyses were used to nest multiple measures of a single construct within their respective studies. A total of 53 randomized controlled trials were included (n = 10,730). Online ACT produced significantly greater outcomes than waitlist controls at post-treatment for anxiety, depression, quality of life, psychological flexibility, and all assessed outcomes (i.e. omnibus effect), which were generally maintained at follow-up. However, only psychological flexibility and all assessed outcomes at post-treatment were found to be significantly greater for online ACT when compared to active controls, with no significant follow-up effects. Overall, these results further clarify that ACT can be effectively delivered in an online format to target a wide range of mental health concerns, although it is less clear if and when online ACT is more efficacious than other online interventions.

Recommended Citation

Korena S. Klimczak, Guadalupe G. San Miguel, Miriam N. Mukasa, Michael P. Twohig & Michael E. Levin (2023): A systematic review and meta-analysis of self-guided online acceptance and commitment therapy as a transdiagnostic self-help intervention, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, DOI: 10.1080/16506073.2023.2178498