A Comparative Effectiveness of Behavioral Activation Therapy and ACT Matrix on Depression of Collage Students

Depression is a serious and debilitating mental disorder that afflicts a large number of human beings worldwide. This study was tried to compare the effectiveness of behavioral activation therapy and act matrix on the depression of College Students.

The present study is an experimental design by using pre and posttest with a control group. Therapeutic intervention in the experimental group implemented 8 sixty-minute sessions weekly for female students between 18-35 years' old who have depression symptoms. During these time participants in the experimental and control group responded to Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition, before, after an intervention, and in follow-up (4 weeks after the end of intervention).

The findings of covariance analysis showed that the ACT matrix and BATD reduced symptoms of depression. There was no significant difference in depression between the two experimental groups (acceptance and commitment-based therapy (ACT) by matrix method and behavioral activation therapy (p = 0.999). This indicates the effect of almost identical acceptance and commitment (ACT) therapy by matrix method and behavioral education training to reduce depression. Eta coefficient shows that matrix and BATD explain 0.64 of depression and these results have been maintained in the follow-up stage.

The results of this study showed that the ACT matrix and BATD have significantly reduced symptoms of depression. This approach seeks to teach how to break up from thought content by taking viewpoints, instead of stuck the past and conceptualizing on future live sort their life story, recognizing values and important individuals of their lives and ultimately taking step to achieve these goals and values without getting stuck in trap of their attention and with compassion for themselves and others.