Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in Group Format on Depressive Symptoms: Systematic Review
Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in Group Format on Depressive Symptoms: Systematic Review

Summary/Abstract: This study aims to systematically review randomized controlled trials that evaluate the effectiveness of group Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in treating depressive symptoms. Studies published between January 2004 and June 2025 in English and Turkish languages were searched in databases such as Medline, PsycArticles, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and TR Index. Ultimately, 17 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included in this systematic review. In the studies, the intervention ranged from a minimum of 4 sessions to a maximum of 12 sessions. Most commonly, the interventions were implemented over 8 sessions. The studies included in this review utilized standardized measurement scales. Findings suggest that group-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is effective in reducing depressive symptoms and that this effect persists at follow-up measurements. As a result, group-based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was found to be effective in treating depressive symptoms. Although most of the included studies had limited sample sizes and heterogeneous gender distribution, the inclusion of diverse groups -such as cancer patients, military personnel, and menopausal women- increases the generalizability of the findings. The results are clinically important because group therapy interventions are cost-effective and increase access to effective treatment for individuals.

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