Purpose: This study develops and investigates the changes in anxiety symptoms and quality of life (QoL) among participants of the online Strength-informed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SACT) across three tests. Methods: A small-scale, quasi-experiment with no control group was conducted. Repeated-measures analysis was employed to assess the changes of the three tests, which were the pre-experimental, post-test, and 3-month follow-up test. A total of 47 adolescents (ages 10–12) completed the 45-min intervention that lasted 10 weeks. Results: Compared with the pre-experimental, the post-test indicated significant anxiety symptoms reduction but not a statistically significant increase in QoL. The 3-month follow-up test indicated reduced anxiety symptoms and improved QoL compared with the pre-experimental. The with-in subject changes were substantial. Conclusions: The online SACT is a promising model to reduce anxiety symptoms and promote QoL among adolescents during the current COVID-19 pandemic, which show both short- and long-term benefit to the participants.
AbdoliA. (2020). Gossip, rumors, and the COVID-19 crisis. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 14(4), e29–e30. https://doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2020.272.
2.
BaoX.JinK. (2015). The beneficial effect of Tai Chi on self-concept in adolescents. International Journal of Psychology, 50(2), 101–105. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijop.12066.
3.
BlundoR.BoltonK. W.LehmannP. (2019). Strengths perspective: Critical analysis of the influence on social work. In The Routledge handbook of social work theory (pp. 216–223). Routledge.
4.
BrennerM. H.CurbowB.LegroM. W. (1995). The proximal-distal continuum of multiple health outcome measures: The case of cataract surgery. Medical Care, 33(4 Suppl), AS236–AS244.
5.
BuH.DuanW. (2019). A single-session positive cognitive intervention on first-year students’ mental health: Short-term effectiveness and the mediating role of strengths knowledge. Journal of American College Health, 67(6), 515–522. https://doi.org/doi:10.1080/07448481.2018.1497639
6.
BuH.DuanW. (2021). Strength-based flourishing intervention to promote resilience in individuals with physical disabilities in disadvantaged communities: A randomized controlled trial. Research on Social Work Practice, 31(1), 53–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731520959445
7.
CarrA.CullenK.KeeneyC.CanningC.MooneyO.ChinseallaighE.O’DowdA. (2020). Effectiveness of positive psychology interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15(5), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2020.1818807
8.
ChangG. C.YanoS. (2020). How are countries addressing the COVID-19 challenges in education? A snapshot of policy measures. World Education Blog.
9.
ChenS. (2020). An online solution focused brief therapy for adolescent anxiety during the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic: A structured summary of a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials, 21(1), 402. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-020-04355-6
10.
ChenS.ChengZ.WuJ. (2020). Risk factors for adolescents’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A comparison between Wuhan and other urban areas in China. Globalization and Health, 16(1), 96. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-020-00627-7
11.
CohenJ. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioural sciences (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
12.
DingX.YaoJ. (2020). Peer education intervention on adolescents’ anxiety, depression, and sleep disorder during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychiatria Danubina, 32(3–4), 527–535. https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2020.527
13.
DuanW. J.BuH. (2017). Development and initial validation of a short three-dimensional inventory of character strengths. Quality of Life Research, 26(9), 2519–2531. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-017-1579-4
14.
DuanW.BuH. (2019). Randomized trial investigating of a single-session character-strength-based cognitive intervention on freshman’s adaptability. Research on Social Work Practice, 29(1), 82–92. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731517699525
15.
DuanW.HoS. M. Y.BaiY.TangX. (2013). Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese virtues questionnaire. Research on Social Work Practice, 23(3), 336–345. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731513477214
16.
DuanW.HoS. M. Y.TangX.LiT.ZhangY. (2014). Character strength-based intervention to promote satisfaction with life in the Chinese university context. Journal of Happiness Studies, 15(6), 1347–1361. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-013-9479-y
17.
DuanW.BuH.ZhaoJ.GuoX. (2019). Examining the mediating roles of strengths knowledge and strengths use in a 1-year single-session character strength-based cognitive intervention. Journal of Happiness Studies, 20(6), 1673–1688. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-0014-z
18.
DuanL.ShaoX.WangY.HuangY.MiaoJ.YangX., & ZhuG. (2020). An investigation of mental health status of children and adolescents in China during the outbreak of COVID-19. Journal of Affective Disorders, 275, 112-118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.06.029.
19.
DuanW. J.WangY. H. (2018). Latent profile analysis of the three-dimensional model of character strengths to distinguish at-strengths and at-risk populations. Quality of Life Research, 27(11), 2983–2990. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-018-1933-1
20.
GanderF.ProyerR. T.RuchW.WyssT. (2013). Strength-based positive interventions: Further evidence for their potential in enhancing well-being and alleviating depression. Journal of Happiness Studies, 14(4), 1241–1259. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-012-9380-0
21.
HayesS. C. (2016). Acceptance and commitment therapy, relational frame theory, and the third wave of behavioral and cognitive therapies. Behavior Therapy, 47(6), 869–885. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2016.11.006
22.
HayesS. C.LuomaJ. B.BondF. W.MasudaA.LillisJ. (2006). Acceptance and commitment therapy: Model, processes and outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2005.06.006
23.
HowellA. J.PassmoreH. A. (2019). Acceptance and commitment training (ACT) as a positive psychological intervention: A systematic review and initial meta-analysis regarding ACT’s role in well-being promotion among university students. Journal of Happiness Studies, 20(6), 1995–2010. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-0027-7
24.
JASP Team (2020). JASP (Version 0.14.1). [Computer software]. Retrieved fromhttps://jasp-stats.org/
25.
KallL. B.MalmgrenH.OlssonE.LindenT.NilssonM. (2015). Effects of a curricular physical activity intervention on children’s school performance, wellness, and brain development. Journal of School Health, 85(10), 704–713. https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12303
26.
KeeleyB.LittleC. (2017). The state of the worlds children 2017: Children in a digital world. UNICEF. 3 United Nations Plaza
27.
KroenkeK.SpitzerR. L.WilliamsJ. B. W.MonahanP. O.LoweB. (2007). Anxiety disorders in primary care: Prevalence, impairment, comorbidity, and detection. Annals of Internal Medicine, 146(5), 317–325. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-146-5-200703060-00004
LauH.KhosrawipourV.KocbachP.MikolajczykA.SchubertJ.BaniaJ.KhosrawipourT. (2020). The positive impact of lockdown in Wuhan on containing the COVID-19 outbreak in China. Journal of Travel Medicine, 27(3), taaa037. https://doi.org/10.1093/jtm/taaa037
30.
LeeY.-T.LiuS.-I.HuangH.-C.SunF.-J.HuangC.-R.YeungA. (2014). Validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the short form of quality of life enjoyment and satisfaction questionnaire (Q-LES-Q-SF). Quality of Life Research, 23(3), 907–916. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-013-0528-0
31.
LiY.DuanW., & ChenZ. (2020). Latent profiles of the comorbidity of the symptoms for posttraumatic stress disorder and generalized anxiety disorder among children and adolescents who are susceptible to COVID-19. Children and Youth Services Review, 116, 105235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105235.
32.
LiuS.YangL. L.ZhangC. X.XiangY. T.LiuZ. C.HuS. H.ZhangB. (2020). Online mental health services in China during the COVID-19 outbreak. Lancet Psychiatry, 7(4), e17–e18. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2215-0366(20)30077-8
33.
LiuJ.ZhouT.YuanM.RenH.BianX.CoplanR. J. (2021). Daily routines, parent–child conflict, and psychological maladjustment among Chinese children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Family Psychology, 35(8), 1077–1085. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000914
34.
LuoC.SangerN.SinghalN.PattrickK.ShamsI.ShahidH., & SamaanZ. (2020). A comparison of electronically-delivered and face to face cognitive behavioural therapies in depressive disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. EClinical Medicine, 24, 100442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2020.100442.
35.
LustgartenS. D. (2015). Emerging ethical threats to client privacy in cloud communication and data storage. Professional Psychology-Research and Practice, 46(3), 154–160. https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000018
36.
MukhtarK.JavedK.AroojM., & SethiA. (2020). Advantages, limitations and recommendations for online learning during COVID-19 pandemic era. Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences, 36(COVID19-S4), S27-S31. https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.COVID19-S4.2785.
37.
OrbenA.TomovaL.BlakemoreS. J. (2020). The effects of social deprivation on adolescent development and mental health. Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 4(8), 634–640. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2352-4642(20)30186-3
38.
PandaP. K.GuptaJ.ChowdhuryS. R.KumarR.MeenaA. K.MadaanP.GulatiS. (2021). Psychological and behavioral impact of lockdown and quarantine measures for COVID-19 pandemic on children, adolescents and caregivers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, 67(1), Article fmaa122. https://doi.org/10.1093/tropej/fmaa122
39.
PavariniG. (2020). Peer support training for adolescents during the COVID-19 outbreak: A pilot randomised controlled trial. ISRCTN Registry. 2020:ISRCTN99248812. Retrieved fromhttps://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN99248812
40.
PowellT.ThompsonS. J. (2016). Enhancing coping and supporting protective factors after a disaster: Findings from a quasi-experimental study. Research on Social Work Practice, 26(5), 539–549. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731514559422
41.
PrasoonR.ChaturvediK. (2016). Life satisfaction: A literature review. The Researcher: International Journal of Management Humanities and Social Sciences, 1(2), 24–31
42.
RadwanE.RadwanA.RadwanW. (2020). The role of social media in spreading panic among primary and secondary school students during the COVID-19 pandemic: An online questionnaire study from the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Heliyon, 6(12), Article e05807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05807
RauschenbergC.SchickA.GoetzlC.RoehrS.Riedel-HellerS. G.KoppeG.ReininghausU. (2021). Social isolation, mental health, and use of digital interventions in youth during the COVID-19 pandemic: A nationally representative survey. European Psychiatry, 64(1), Article e20. https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.17
45.
Ravens-SiebererU.KamanA.ErhartM.DevineJ.SchlackR.OttoC. (2021). Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on quality of life and mental health in children and adolescents in Germany. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 11. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00787-021-01726-5
46.
Ravens-SiebererU.KamanA.OttoC.AdedejiA.DevineJ.ErhartM.HurrelmannK. (2020). Mental health and quality of life in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic-results of the copsy study. Deutsches Arzteblatt International, 117(48), 828–829. https://doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2020.0828
47.
Rodriguez-AyllonM.Cadenas-SanchezC.Estevez-LopezF.MunozN. E.Mora-GonzalezJ.MiguelesJ. H.Esteban-CornejoI. (2019). Role of physical activity and sedentary behavior in the mental health of preschoolers, children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 49(9), 1383–1410. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01099-5
48.
RushA. J.SouthC. C.JhaM. K.GrannemannB. D., & TrivediM. H. (2019). Toward a very brief quality of life enjoyment and satisfaction questionnaire. Journal of Affective Disorders, 242, 87-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.08.052.
49.
ScheelM. J.DavisC. K.HendersonJ. D. (2012). Therapist use of client strengths: A qualitative study of positive processes. The Counseling Psychologist, 41(3), 392–427. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000012439427
50.
ShahK.MannS.SinghR.BangarR.KulkarniR. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of children and adolescents. Cureus, 12(8), Article e10051. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.10051
51.
ShereenM. A.KhanS.KazmiA.BashirN., & SiddiqueR. (2020). COVID-19 infection: Origin, transmission, and characteristics of human coronaviruses. Journal of Advanced Research, 24, 91-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2020.03.005.
52.
SinghV.ThurmanA. (2019). How many ways can we define online learning? A systematic literature review of definitions of online learning (1988–2018). American Journal of Distance Education, 33(4), 289–306. https://doi.org/10.1080/08923647.2019.1663082
TangS. Q.XiangM.CheungT., & XiangY. T. (2021). Mental health and its correlates among children and adolescents during COVID-19 school closure: The importance of parent-child discussion. Journal of Affective Disorders, 279, 353-360. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.10.016.
55.
The State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China (2020). Fighting Covid-19 China in action. Foreign Languages Press.
56.
TymofiyevaO. A. (2020). Randomized controlled feasibility study of emotional well-being of adolescents undergoing a mindfulness training during the COVID-19 pandemic. ClinicalTrials.gov. 2020:NCT04548544. Retrieved fromhttps://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04548544
57.
WajahatH. (2020). Role of social media in COVID-19 pandemic. The International Journal of Frontier Sciences, 4(2), 59–60. https://doi.org/10.37978/tijfs.v4i2.144
58.
WangG.ZhangY.ZhaoJ.ZhangJ.JiangF. (2020). Mitigate the effects of home confinement on children during the COVID-19 outbreak. Lancet, 395(10228), 945–947. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(20)30547-x
59.
WangJ.ZouJ.LuoJ.LiuH.YangQ.OuyangY., & LinQ. (2019). Mental health symptoms among rural adolescents with different parental migration experiences: A cross-sectional study in China. Psychiatry Research, 279, 222-230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2019.03.004.
60.
WasilA. R.KacmarekC. N.OsbornT. L.PalermoE. H.DeRubeisR. J.WeiszJ. R.YatesB. T. (2021). Economic evaluation of an online single-session intervention for depression in Kenyan adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 89(8), 657–667. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000669
61.
WongC. W.TsaiA.JonasJ. B.Ohno-MatsuiK.ChenJ.AngM., & TingD. S. W. (2021). Digital screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic: Risk for a further myopia boom?American Journal of Ophthalmology, 223, 333-337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajo.2020.07.034.
XiangM.ZhangZ.KuwaharaK. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on children and adolescents’ lifestyle behavior larger than expected. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 63(4), 531–532. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2020.04.013
64.
XieX.XueQ.ZhouY.ZhuK.LiuQ.ZhangJ.SongR. (2020). Mental health status among children in home confinement during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak in hubei province, China. Jama Pediatrics, 174(9), 898–900. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.1619
65.
XuW.ShenW., & WangS. (2021). Intervention of adolescent? Mental health during the outbreak of COVID-19 using aerobic exercise combined with acceptance and commitment therapy. Children and Youth Services Review, 124, 105960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.105960.
66.
ZhengY.WangW.ZhongY.WuF.ZhuZ.ThamY.-C.LiuY. (2021). A peer-to-peer live-streaming intervention for children during COVID-19 homeschooling to promote physical activity and reduce anxiety and eye strain: Cluster randomized controlled trial. Journal of medical Internet research, 23(4), Article e24316. https://doi.org/10.2196/24316
67.
ZhuX.LiuJ. (2020). Education in and after COVID-19: Immediate responses and long-term visions. Postdigital Science Education, 2(3), 695–699. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-020-00126-3
