Effects of cognitive behaviour therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy on depression, anxiety, and quality of life among emerging adults in Selangor, Malaysia
Adults between 18 and 29 years old experience more mental health problems, such as depression (a major local and global public health issue) compared to other age populations. Despite the safety and efficacy of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), comparisons between CBT and the newer acceptance a...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2022
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/113823/1/113823.pdf |
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| Summary: | Adults between 18 and 29 years old experience more mental health
problems, such as depression (a major local and global public health issue)
compared to other age populations. Despite the safety and efficacy of
cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), comparisons between CBT and the
newer acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) among emerging adults
in Malaysia remain scarce. Most local and global works generally
emphasised university or college students rather than emerging adults in
general, hence creating a population gap in current literature. Consequently,
this study compared the CBT and ACT effects on emerging adults’
depression and anxiety symptoms and quality of life.
This study utilised an experimental design with a pre-test, post-test, and
three-month follow-up. Specifically, 102 emerging adults between 18 and 29
years old who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited from two study
locations in Selangor, Malaysia and randomly stratified into two experimental
groups (CBT and ACT) and one control group. The experimental groups
underwent CBT or ACT, whereas the control group received
psychoeducation. As the data collection tools employed in this study, Beck
Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and The
World Health Organization Quality of Life: Brief Version (WHOQL-BREF)
were completed thrice by the participants.
Notably, 81 participants completed the study until the follow-up stage. The
elicited data were analysed using one-way ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test,
The CBT demonstrated a significant difference in depression, anxiety, total
quality of life, and its four domains post-test, thus implying significant
improvement post-intervention. Regardless, the absence of a significant
difference during follow-up indicated score maintenance. The ACT, which
denoted a significant difference in anxiety scores and both physical and
psychological domains at post-test and follow-up, implied a significant
improvement post-treatment and during the follow-up. In terms of depression,
total quality of life, social relationship, and environment domain, the ACT
showed a significant difference post-test, albeit with no significant difference
during the follow-up.
The aforementioned outcomes imply the ACT is effective in reducing
depression symptoms compared to the control group. Despite being nonsignificant,
the CBT demonstrated a higher reduction in depression scores
post-test compared to the control group. The CBT continues to reflect
improvement in depression at follow-up compared to the control. Both CBT
and ACT denoted a similar effectiveness post-test with regards to anxiety
and quality of life. Notwithstanding, ACT proved more effective to lower
anxiety and to increase physical, and psychological health at follow-up
compared to CBT.
The current study findings complemented both CBT and ACT effectiveness
in terms of reducing depression and anxiety symptoms and improving the
quality of life among emerging adults in Malaysia. Furthermore, the ACT
appeared more effective in depression, anxiety, and physical and
psychological domains compared to CBT. These results would benefit
emerging adults between 18 and 29 years old and counsellors or mental
health professionals who frequently manage emerging adults with
depression and aspects involving quality of life. Future works should test a
longer period of follow-up and perform similar studies at different locations
as emerging adulthood (EA) is culture-specific. |
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