Fundamentals of Mental Health

Fundamentals of Mental Health

A comparison of the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and choice theory on the procrastination among female third-grade high school students in Shahriar county

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Nasim Barandeh 1
Abdollah Shafiabadi 2
Valiollah Farzad 3
1 Ph.D. student in counseling, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran
2 Professor at Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran
3 Faculty Member at Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran
10.22038/jfmh.2017.10869
Abstract
Introduction: The present study sought to compare the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and choice theory on the procrastination among female third-grade high school students. The population consisted of all female third-grade high school students of Shahriar County in the educational year of 2015-2016.
 
Materials and Methods: The sample of the study included 60 students selected through the multistage cluster sampling. Solomon and Rothblum questionnaire was used for procrastination assessment. The first experimental group was treated by an eight-session weekly group teaching based on the acceptance and commitment therapy and the second one was treated by an eight-session weekly group teaching based on the choice theory.
 
Results: The results of the study indicated that teaching based on the acceptance and commitment therapy as well as the choice theory was effective in reducing procrastination among female third-grade high school students, but there was not a significant difference between the effectiveness of the two theories on procrastination reduction. Teaching based on the acceptance and commitment therapy as well as the choice theory had a desirable stable effect on the procrastination among female third-grade high school students over time.
 
Conclusion: Teaching based on the acceptance and commitment therapy as well as the choice theory had a desirable stable effect on the procrastination among students. 
Keywords
Acceptance and commitment therapy
Choice theory
Procrastination
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Fundamentals of Mental Health
Volume 19, special issue
May and June 2017
Pages 387-393