We are currently developing and evaluating this course ...
ACT Course
Background
We are now testing a new online treatment for depression and anxiety based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, known as ‘ACT’ (one word). Hundreds of research trials have demonstrated that ACT works as an effective treatment for common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Our goal here is to test whether ACT can be effectively delivered online.
Depression and anxiety not only produce unpleasant symptoms, but importantly they also interfere with life. Most people with these conditions find that over time they do less of the things that were previously important to them. Things like connecting to family, socializing with friends, studying, working and staying healthy.
ACT aims to help people work out what is really important to them (values) and to slowly do more of the things (actions) that are in line with those values. It helps people better manage the things that typically get in the way, like the unhelpful thoughts and emotions common in depression and anxiety.
To learn more about symptoms of low mood and depression, please click here.
To learn more about anxiety and anxiety disorders, please click here.
What conditions have previous participants had?
Some common conditions and difficulties of participants may have include:
-
Stress and anxiety
-
Low mood and depression
-
Generalised anxiety
-
Panic and panic attacks
-
Social anxiety
-
Health anxiety
Who is the course suitable for?
The course is suitable for:
-
Adults aged 18 and older
-
Living in Australia
-
With symptoms of anxiety or depression, or both.
-
Who want to learn information and skills to manage and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression
-
Who have the time to spend working on the course and practicing the skills taught
Unfortunately, we cannot include people who are currently suicidal, do not have access to the Internet, are unable to read or understand English, or who are not living in Australia.
What does the course involve?
The course involves:
-
A mix of reading, illustrations and listening to provide different ways to learn and practice new concepts
-
Short stories in the form of metaphors to help explain psychological concepts
-
Exercises and real-life examples to complete in the modules and between modules
-
Short questionnaires to track your progress
-
And importantly, the support of a psychologist if you need more assistance.
The ACT Course is delivered over 8 weeks and is designed to provide you with practical information and skills for managing symptoms of different types of anxiety, worry, low mood and depression. The course aims to provide the information and skills that you would normally receive from a Psychologist.
What have we found so far?
This is the first time we are offering the ACT Course. However, it provides all of the information and teaches the same skills you would learn from a psychologist face-to-face. So we expect it will be just as helpful.
What is the current trial or study looking at?
Every time we offer a course we offer it as a part of a trial or study. This means that participants are helping us to answer an important research question while they participate in our courses.
The aim of this trial of the ACT Course is to find out how helpful the online course is in managing depression and anxiety, as well as getting feedback about how the course can be made more useful.
You can read more about the current trial by reading the Participant Information and Consent Form Statement.
When is the next course being offered?
We are not currently offering the ACT Course. We are finishing up our most recent trial and gathering feedback from participants, which we hope to use to improve the course in the future.
If you are interested in the ACT Course, please click the 'Register Now' button below and follow the prompts.