The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy group on the perfectionism and test anxiety in students

The aim of present study was to investigate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment group therapy on the perfectionism and test anxiety in students. For this purpose, in a quasi-experimental study, 26 female undergraduate students in Islamic Azad Uniuersity of Neyshabur were selected by purposive sampling method and then randomly designed into two experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in 8 sessions of acceptance and commitment therapy (Hayes, Strosahl & Wilson, 2003), while control group was not in any treatment. The participants completed Test Anxiety Questionnaire (TAQ) and Tehran Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (TMPS). Data were analyzed by SPSS22 software, using Multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). The findings showed that acceptance and commitment group therapy decreases the perfectionism and test anxiety. In sum, result showed that acceptance and commitment group therapy might be an efficient way to decrease perfectionism and test anxiety. Also, therapists can use this therapeutic approach for improving abnormal perfectionism and test anxiety.