The Effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Anxiety and Emotion Regulation in Adolescents with Diabetes Type 1: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic condition that significantly impacts the psychological health of adolescents. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effect of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on anxiety and emotion regulation in adolescents with T1D. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 40 adolescents aged 13 - 18 were randomly assigned to an ACT group (n = 20) or a control group (n = 20). The intervention included eight weekly 60-minute group sessions. Participants completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) at pre-test, post-test, and three-month follow-up. The data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) with a repeated measurement design and through SPSS-22 statistical software. Results: The ACT significantly reduced anxiety (-8.10 ± 4.65, ηp2 = 0.81) and improved both reappraisal (+7.75 ± 4.56, ηp2 = 0.87) and suppression in emotion regulation (-3.30 ± 3.14, ηp2 = 0.28) compared to the control group (P < 0.001), with effects maintained at follow-up. Conclusions: The findings indicate that psychological treatment methods, including ACT, significantly enhance the effectiveness of medical treatments, especially for adolescents with T1D.