The mediation role of self-compassion and experiential avoidance scores in predicting the self-esteem scores of adolescents via group psycho-education based on acceptance and commitment approach

The aim of the study is to examine the mediation role of self-compassion and experiential avoidance scores in predicting the self-esteem scores of adolescents via group psycho-education based on Acceptance and Commitment Approach (GPACA). The study was designed as a 2x2 quasi-experimental design including experimental and control groups with pretest-posttest measurements in order to examine the effectiveness of the group psycho-education program oriented to increase self-esteem. In the specified design, the first factor shows the independent process groups (experiment and control), and the second factor shows recurrent measurements (pretest-posttest) of dependent variables. GPACA program conducted to the experimental group consists of eight sessions (each session is 90 minutes). The dependent variable of the research is the self-esteem levels of the participants. The scale adaptation sample of the research included the secondary education students at Kadıköy, Istanbul in the spring semester of 2018-2019 academic year. For the experimental study, the study group consisted of 37 students in the 10th and 11th grades of Istanbul Kadıköy High School. The experimental group (n=20) and the control group (n=17) in the study group were formed by random assignment. As data collection tools, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF) and Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire-Youth 8 (AFQ-Y8), that were adapted within the scope of the present study, were used. The developed GPACA program was applied to the experimental group. No application was conducted for the participants in the control group. Non-parametric analyzes, which are Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon signed rank tests, were used to examine the effectiveness of the applied group psycho-education. Mediation analysis for the experimental group and the control group was analyzed by PROCESS macro. Mediation effect was estimated by Bootstrap and calculated by using Bias Corrected (BC) Bootstrapped confidence interval (CIs). In the difference test analyses, the difference between the RSES, SCS-SF, and AFQ-Y8 pretest measurements of the experimental and control groups was not found significant. Among the RSES, SCS-SF, and AFQ-Y8 posttest measurements of the experimental and control groups, the difference was found significant in favor of the experimental group. Also, among the RSES, SCS-SF, and AFQ-Y8 pretest and posttest measurements of the experimental group, the difference was found significant in favor of the posttest scores. As a result of the mediation analysis, the effect of mediation of being in the experimental group and the control group was found in the prediction of RSES posttest score after controlling the SCS-SF pretest scores on the SCS-SF posttest scores. It was determined that being present in the experimental group had a significant indirect effect on the self-esteem of SCS-SF posttest scores, thus, the level of self-compassion mediated self-esteem. As a result of another mediation analysis procedure, the effect of mediation of being in the experimental group and the control group was found in the prediction of RSES posttest score after controlling the AFQ-Y8 pretest scores on the AFQ-Y8 posttest scores. It was determined that being present in the experimental group had a significant indirect effect on the self-esteem of AFQ-Y8 posttest scores, thus, the level of experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion mediated self-esteem. It was observed that the group psycho-education program applied to the students was effective in increasing the self-esteem of the students. This effect does not mean causality.