The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Improving Academic Self-regulation and Psychological Flexibility in Students with Specific Learning Disorder(SLD)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on improving academic self-regulation and psychological flexibility in students with specific learning disorder. This research was an experimental study with the pre and post-test with a control group design. The statistical population of the present study was all male students with specific learning disorder in two learning disability centers in Tehran. Among them, 40 students were selected as the sample of the study by available sampling method and randomly classified into two groups. The experimental group received eight 90-minute session of ACT program. The control group was placed on a waiting list. For data collection we used academic self-regulation and psychological flexibility scale. The results of maltivariate analysis of covariance showed the ACT improved on academic self-regulation and psychological flexibility students with specific learning disorder. Based on the obtained results, it can be said that the acceptance and commitment therapy by creating acceptance and openness to negative experiences and emotions and cognitive defusion can improve academic self-regulation and psychological flexibility of this students.

Keywords

• acceptance and commitment therapy
• academic self-regulation
• psychological flexibility
• specific learning disorder