Date Approved
5-27-2025
Embargo Period
5-27-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ph.D. Psychology
Department
Clinical Psychology
College
College of Science & Mathematics
Advisor
Christina Simmons, Ph.D.
Committee Member 1
Katherine Gotham, Ph.D.
Committee Member 2
Ashley Dubin, Ph.D.
Committee Member 3
Wendy Aita, Ph.D.
Disciplines
Clinical Psychology | Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Abstract
Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and co-occurring challenging behavior (e.g., aggression, self-injury, property destruction) experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and poor overall well-being. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which encourages psychological flexibility, is an effective intervention for addressing well-being in this population when presented in various formats. Despite its potential to increase accessibility and improve social connectedness for parents, time commitment may impact parents’ willingness to participate in virtual ACT group interventions. The current study examined parents’ participation in and perceived acceptability of 6 hrs of virtual ACT groups in three different formats: a 6-hr workshop, three 2-hr sessions, and six 1-hr sessions. Participants attended a virtual intake interview, received 6 hrs of virtual ACT group intervention, and participated in two virtual individualized parent training sessions. Participants included 32 parents over nine groups; however, only 12 completed all post-study measures. Results demonstrate that, although those who attended perceived the groups to be highly acceptable, the intervention did not demonstrate a significant improvement in parental well-being and there was a high attrition rate. Results did not indicate any significant differences between group formats, suggesting that participation in a virtual ACT group intervention may be more impacted by individual differences (e.g., schedules, attention span) than format.
Recommended Citation
Owen, Abigail, "Exploring Virtual Group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Format on Participation of Parents of Children with Autism" (2025). Theses and Dissertations. 3367.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/3367
