Implementing a brief universal Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention (InTER-ACT) for secondary school students: a qualitative evaluation of the experiences of teachers and school counsellors.
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| Title: | Implementing a brief universal Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention (InTER-ACT) for secondary school students: a qualitative evaluation of the experiences of teachers and school counsellors. |
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| Authors: | Murphy, Sarah1 (AUTHOR), Samuel, Victoria1 (AUTHOR) Samuelv3@cardiff.ac.uk |
| Source: | Pastoral Care in Education. Jun2026, Vol. 44 Issue 2, p306-334. 29p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Teacher training, *Psychotherapy, *Education of counselors, *Student engagement, *Qualitative research, *Secondary education, Acceptance & commitment therapy, Fragility (Psychology) |
| Geographic Terms: | United Kingdom |
| Abstract: | Background: Mental health difficulties are common in young people, and mental health interventions are now mandatory as part of the school curriculum in the UK. Teachers are well placed to provide interventions, however they often lack the required mental health training. This paper reports on how school counsellors and teachers experience the process of receiving training in a universal Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) based programme, and subsequently, delivering this programme to students in the classroom. Methods: Three counsellors and four teachers were interviewed following their delivery of the InTER-ACT programme. Two counsellors and three teachers were then interviewed again at a 6-month follow-up. Constructivist Grounded Theory was used to collect and analyse the interview data. Results: The grounded theory analysis of the interview data resulted in a model of engagement within a context of willingness to show vulnerability. This model consisted of eight phases which included: pre-existing stance, perceiving the approach to be a good fit, buying into the approach, practicing skills, talking authentically, students engaging, believing in the approach and sharing with others. Conclusions: The model of engagement shows the circular phases that the facilitators moved through to support their engagement with ACT and the engagement of their students. The model emphasises the importance of vulnerability when learning and using ACT, for both facilitators and students. Recommendations for future training with school counsellors and teachers are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Pastoral Care in Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 193857743 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Implementing a brief universal Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention (InTER-ACT) for secondary school students: a qualitative evaluation of the experiences of teachers and school counsellors. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Murphy%2C+Sarah%22">Murphy, Sarah</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Samuel%2C+Victoria%22">Samuel, Victoria</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> Samuelv3@cardiff.ac.uk</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Pastoral+Care+in+Education%22">Pastoral Care in Education</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 44 Issue 2, p306-334. 29p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+training%22">Teacher training</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychotherapy%22">Psychotherapy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Education+of+counselors%22">Education of counselors</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+engagement%22">Student engagement</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+research%22">Qualitative research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Secondary+education%22">Secondary education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Acceptance+%26+commitment+therapy%22">Acceptance & commitment therapy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fragility+%28Psychology%29%22">Fragility (Psychology)</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom%22">United Kingdom</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Background: Mental health difficulties are common in young people, and mental health interventions are now mandatory as part of the school curriculum in the UK. Teachers are well placed to provide interventions, however they often lack the required mental health training. This paper reports on how school counsellors and teachers experience the process of receiving training in a universal Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) based programme, and subsequently, delivering this programme to students in the classroom. Methods: Three counsellors and four teachers were interviewed following their delivery of the InTER-ACT programme. Two counsellors and three teachers were then interviewed again at a 6-month follow-up. Constructivist Grounded Theory was used to collect and analyse the interview data. Results: The grounded theory analysis of the interview data resulted in a model of engagement within a context of willingness to show vulnerability. This model consisted of eight phases which included: pre-existing stance, perceiving the approach to be a good fit, buying into the approach, practicing skills, talking authentically, students engaging, believing in the approach and sharing with others. Conclusions: The model of engagement shows the circular phases that the facilitators moved through to support their engagement with ACT and the engagement of their students. The model emphasises the importance of vulnerability when learning and using ACT, for both facilitators and students. Recommendations for future training with school counsellors and teachers are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Pastoral Care in Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/02643944.2025.2464531 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 29 StartPage: 306 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Teacher training Type: general – SubjectFull: Psychotherapy Type: general – SubjectFull: Education of counselors Type: general – SubjectFull: Student engagement Type: general – SubjectFull: Qualitative research Type: general – SubjectFull: Secondary education Type: general – SubjectFull: Acceptance & commitment therapy Type: general – SubjectFull: Fragility (Psychology) Type: general – SubjectFull: United Kingdom Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Implementing a brief universal Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention (InTER-ACT) for secondary school students: a qualitative evaluation of the experiences of teachers and school counsellors. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Murphy, Sarah – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Samuel, Victoria IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: Jun2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 02643944 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 44 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Pastoral Care in Education Type: main |
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