The Effect of Acceptance and Commitment Group Therapy on Resilience Among Youths With Substance Abuse

Problem

Strengthening the resilience of young people recovering from substance abuse is essential for effectively preventing relapse.

Methods

This study investigated the impact of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention on youths undergoing substance use rehabilitation in the Eastern region of Thailand. Participants in the intervention group received the ACT-based intervention alongside their regular rehabilitation program (n = 50), while the control group received standard treatment (n = 50). Data were collected at three time points: before, immediately after, and 1 month after intervention, using a personal information questionnaire and a resilience scale. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and two-way repeated measures ANOVA.

Findings

The study found that participants in the intervention group had significantly higher mean resilience scores immediately after the intervention and at the 1-month follow-up compared to the control group (F_{(1, 98)} = 7991.00, p < 0.001). Analysis of the repeated measures ANOVA revealed a statistically significant difference in resilience mean scores between pre-intervention and the 1-month follow-up in the intervention group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

This finding shows that ACT group therapy effectively enhances resilience in youth recovering from substance use. Psychiatric nurses play a crucial role in the recovery process. They can use this therapy to design tailored intervention programs sensitive to youth's cultural and community contexts that fosters adaptive thinking and behaviors, building resilience in this vulnerable population.