General Objectives To study the effectiveness of group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in the treatment of depression among depressive patients in Kelantan.
Specific Objectives
1. To evaluate the effectiveness of group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in reducing the symptoms of depression in patients in Kelantan from pre- to post-intervention and at 3 months follow-up.
2. To determine the effectiveness of group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in improving the quality of life of patients with depression in Kelantan from pre- to post-intervention and at 3 months follow-up.
3. To assess the effectiveness of group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in improving the psychological flexibility of patients with depression in Kelantan from pre- to post intervention and at 3 months follow-up.
This quasi-experimental study used a two-group design, comparing group ACT with TAU at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3-month follow-up. Conducted at the Psychiatry Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, from June 2022 to May 2024, the study included 44 participants with mild to moderate depression. Twenty-two participants allocated in the ACT group received weekly group ACT sessions over four weeks, while twenty-two participants were assigned to the TAU group. Outcomes were measured using the Malay versions of the Beck Depression Inventory I (BDI), WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II (AAQ-II) at baseline, post-intervention, and at 3-month follow-up. Data was analyzed using two-way Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance (RM ANOVA) to assess changes in these outcomes across the different time points.
