EFFECT OF ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITTEMENT THERAPY IN REDUCING STRESS AMONG POSTGRADUTE STUDENTS OF USMANU DANFODIYO UNIVERSITY, SOKOTO, NIGERIA

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in reducing stress among postgraduate students at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. The research was guided by three objectives and three corresponding hypotheses. The study used a pre-test, post-test quasi-experimental research design. The population consisted of eight (8) postgraduate students in one program within the Department of Educational Foundations, all of whom were included in the sample. Data was collected using an adapted Academic and Psychological Stress Scale. This 40-item instrument was divided into two sections: items 1-20 measured academic stress, and items 21-40 measured psychological stress. The scale used a 4-point rating. The reliability coefficients were .86 (test) and .84 (retest) for the academic stress subscale, and .72 (test) and .79 (retest) for the psychological stress subscale. Data was collected during both pre-test and post-test phases. The findings showed a significant effect of ACT in reducing academic stress (p=.001). A significant difference was also found between academic and psychological stress among the students, with mean scores of 48.32 for academic stress and 26.98 for psychological stress (p=.001). Based on these findings, it was concluded that ACT has a significant effect on reducing stress and that there is a significant difference between academic and psychological stress. The study recommends that educational, counseling, and clinical psychologists use ACT to help reduce academic and psychological stress among both postgraduate and undergraduate students.

DOI: https://doie.org/10.10318/SER.2025482170