The effect of acceptance and commitment therapy-based psychoeducation program on mind wandering

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based psychoeducation program on the mind wandering of high school students. Acceptance and Commitment Scale Youth - 8, Mind Wandering Scale, Voluntary Mind Wandering Scale and Involuntary Mind Wandering Scale were used for data collection in the experimental design study. Participants who met the inclusion criteria were divided into two groups as experimental and control groups by random assignment method. Six sessions of ACT-based psychoeducation program were applied to the participants in the experimental group. The control group did not receive any treatment. The results of the study show that the ACT-based psychoeducation program was effective in reducing mind wandering and that this effect continued in the one-month follow-up period. There was also a significant decrease in the avoidance and merging levels of the participants in the experimental group. These research findings provide important data that ACT is an effective approach to reduce mind wandering.