Generalised Anxiety DisorderSS-ACTNCT07892768
Effectiveness of Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Symptoms.
A study testing Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT) in people with Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Anxiety, run by GIFT University at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
This study examined whether a single 120-minute, therapist-led Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT) session, delivered individually and face-to-face in Urdu, was associated with reduced generalized anxiety symptoms among undergraduate students in Pakistan. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 25 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Anxiety
- What is being tested?
- Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT)
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 5 May 2026to 31 Jul 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 25 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Aged 18 to 25 years
- Currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at GIFT University
- GAD-7 score of 5 or above
- Meets diagnostic criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder, as confirmed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5)
Who cannot join
- Current participation in psychotherapy or pharmacological treatment for anxiety
- Self-reported history of severe psychiatric disorder (e.g., psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder), or any other condition judged during screening likely to interfere with participation in the intervention
- Inability to provide informed consent or complete the study procedures independently
- Failure to meet the study eligibility criteria during the SCID-5 screening interview
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Effectiveness of Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Symptoms Among University Students
This study examined whether a single 120-minute, therapist-led Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT) session, delivered individually and face-to-face in Urdu, was associated with reduced generalized anxiety symptoms among undergraduate students in Pakistan. Fifty full-time undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 at GIFT University (25 male, 25 female), who scored 5 or above on the GAD-7 and met DSM-5 criteria for generalized anxiety disorder on the SCID-5 interview, received the session. Anxiety symptoms (GAD-7) were measured before the session, immediately after it, and at a two-week follow-up. Psychological inflexibility (AAQ-II) was measured before and immediately after the session. The study also examined whether changes in anxiety differed between male and female participants. This was a single-group study without a control or comparison group.
Read the detailed description
Design: Single-group, quasi-experimental, repeated-measures study. All participants received the same intervention. There was no randomization and no control or comparison group.
Participants: Fifty full-time undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 years at GIFT University, Gujranwala (25 male, 25 female), recruited through purposive sampling. Eligibility required a GAD-7 score of 5 or above and a primary diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder confirmed by the SCID-5. Exclusion criteria: current psychotherapy or pharmacological treatment for anxiety; a self-reported history of severe psychiatric disorder (e.g., psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder) or any condition judged likely to interfere with participation; inability to give informed consent or complete the procedures independently. Sample size was calculated in advance with G*Power 3.1.9.7 (repeated-measures ANOVA, three measurements, f = 0.25, alpha = .05, power = .80), giving a minimum of 43 participants.
Intervention: One 120-minute, therapist-led, individual, face-to-face SS-ACT session in Urdu, delivered by the researcher. It had seven stages covering all six core ACT processes: introduction and psychoeducation (15 min), present-moment awareness (15 min), cognitive defusion (20 min), acceptance (20 min), self-as-context (15 min), values clarification (15 min) and committed action (20 min).
Procedure: Phase 1, GAD-7 screening of consenting undergraduate students. Phase 2, SCID-5 diagnostic confirmation. Phase 3, pre-intervention measures, the SS-ACT session, post-intervention measures immediately afterwards, and a two-week follow-up.
Measures: GAD-7 (primary outcome) at pre-intervention (T1), immediately post-intervention (T2) and two-week follow-up (T3). AAQ-II (psychological inflexibility, process variable) at T1 and T2 only.
Objectives: (1) to investigate the baseline level of GAD symptoms using the GAD-7; (2) to evaluate the effectiveness of SS-ACT in reducing GAD symptoms; (3) to investigate gender differences in GAD symptom reduction following SS-ACT; (4) to examine change in psychological inflexibility (AAQ-II) from pre- to post-intervention.
Statistical analysis: Repeated-measures ANOVA for GAD-7 across three time points, with the Greenhouse-Geisser correction where sphericity was violated; Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons; mixed-design ANOVA for the Time x Gender interaction; repeated-measures analysis of AAQ-II from pre- to post-intervention. Effect sizes: Cohen's d for pairwise comparisons and partial eta-squared for omnibus effects. Alpha = .05.
- Conditions
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Anxiety
- Being tested
- Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT)
- Keywords
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Single-Session Therapy, Generalized Anxiety Symptoms, University Students, Psychological Inflexibility, Pakistan, GAD-7, AAQ-II
- Medical subject headings
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Anxiety Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT)Behavioural
A single 120-minute, therapist-led, individual, face-to-face ACT session in Urdu, structured in seven stages and covering the six core ACT processes: introduction and psychoeducation, present-moment awareness, cognitive defusion, acceptance, self-as-context, values clarification and committed action.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| SS-ACT | Experimental | Single group of 50 undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 at GIFT University (25 male, 25 female) with generalized anxiety disorder confirmed by SCID-5. All participants received one 120-minute therapist-led SS-ACT session in Urdu. GAD-7 was administered before the session, immediately after it, and at two-week follow-up; AAQ-II before and immediately after. No control or comparison group. Receives: Behavioral: Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in generalized anxiety symptoms (GAD-7)
Generalized anxiety symptom severity measured with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), a 7-item self-report scale. Total scores range from 0 to 21; higher scores indicate greater anxiety severity. Change was examined across pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and two-week follow-up.
Measured: Pre-intervention (baseline), immediately post-intervention, and two-week follow-up
Secondary outcomes (1)
Change in psychological inflexibility (AAQ-II)
Psychological inflexibility (experiential avoidance) measured with the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), a 7-item self-report scale rated 1 to 7. Total scores range from 7 to 49; higher scores indicate greater psychological inflexibility.
Measured: Pre-intervention (baseline) and immediately post-intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted23 Oct 2026
- Study start5 May 2026
- Primary completion31 Jul 2026
- Study completion31 Jul 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Generalised Anxiety DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Model description
- Single-group, quasi-experimental, repeated-measures design. All participants received the same single-session intervention; no control or comparison group.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- GIFT University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Samar Tariq, GIFT University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07892768
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- GIFT/PSY/MS/2025/011
- Acronym
- SS-ACT
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 18 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 23 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Data are not shared because participants consented on the basis of confidentiality and anonymised data storage.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effectiveness of Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Generalized Anxiety Symptoms Among University Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07892768
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SS-ACT / GIFT/PSY/MS/2025/011
- Conditions
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Anxiety
- Keywords
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Single-Session Therapy, Generalized Anxiety Symptoms, University Students, Psychological Inflexibility, Pakistan, GAD-7, AAQ-II
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- GIFT UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 5 May 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Jul 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 23 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study examined whether a single 120-minute, therapist-led Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT) session, delivered individually and face-to-face in Urdu, was associated with reduced generalized anxiety symptoms among undergraduate students in Pakistan. Fifty full-time undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 at GIFT University (25 male, 25 female), who scored 5 or above on the GAD-7 and met DSM-5 criteria for generalized anxiety disorder on the SCID-5 interview, received the session. Anxiety symptoms (GAD-7) were measured before the session, immediately after it, and at a two-week follow-up. Psychological inflexibility (AAQ-II) was measured before and immediately after the session. The study also examined whether changes in anxiety differed between male and female participants. This was a single-group study without a control or comparison group.
Detailed description
Design: Single-group, quasi-experimental, repeated-measures study. All participants received the same intervention. There was no randomization and no control or comparison group.
Participants: Fifty full-time undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 years at GIFT University, Gujranwala (25 male, 25 female), recruited through purposive sampling. Eligibility required a GAD-7 score of 5 or above and a primary diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder confirmed by the SCID-5. Exclusion criteria: current psychotherapy or pharmacological treatment for anxiety; a self-reported history of severe psychiatric disorder (e.g., psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder) or any condition judged likely to interfere with participation; inability to give informed consent or complete the procedures independently. Sample size was calculated in advance with G*Power 3.1.9.7 (repeated-measures ANOVA, three measurements, f = 0.25, alpha = .05, power = .80), giving a minimum of 43 participants.
Intervention: One 120-minute, therapist-led, individual, face-to-face SS-ACT session in Urdu, delivered by the researcher. It had seven stages covering all six core ACT processes: introduction and psychoeducation (15 min), present-moment awareness (15 min), cognitive defusion (20 min), acceptance (20 min), self-as-context (15 min), values clarification (15 min) and committed action (20 min).
Procedure: Phase 1, GAD-7 screening of consenting undergraduate students. Phase 2, SCID-5 diagnostic confirmation. Phase 3, pre-intervention measures, the SS-ACT session, post-intervention measures immediately afterwards, and a two-week follow-up.
Measures: GAD-7 (primary outcome) at pre-intervention (T1), immediately post-intervention (T2) and two-week follow-up (T3). AAQ-II (psychological inflexibility, process variable) at T1 and T2 only.
Objectives: (1) to investigate the baseline level of GAD symptoms using the GAD-7; (2) to evaluate the effectiveness of SS-ACT in reducing GAD symptoms; (3) to investigate gender differences in GAD symptom reduction following SS-ACT; (4) to examine change in psychological inflexibility (AAQ-II) from pre- to post-intervention.
Statistical analysis: Repeated-measures ANOVA for GAD-7 across three time points, with the Greenhouse-Geisser correction where sphericity was violated; Bonferroni-adjusted pairwise comparisons; mixed-design ANOVA for the Time x Gender interaction; repeated-measures analysis of AAQ-II from pre- to post-intervention. Effect sizes: Cohen's d for pairwise comparisons and partial eta-squared for omnibus effects. Alpha = .05.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
- Model description
- Single-group, quasi-experimental, repeated-measures design. All participants received the same single-session intervention; no control or comparison group.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| SS-ACT | Experimental | Behavioral: Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT)Single group of 50 undergraduate students aged 18 to 25 at GIFT University (25 male, 25 female) with generalized anxiety disorder confirmed by SCID-5. All participants received one 120-minute therapist-led SS-ACT session in Urdu. GAD-7 was administered before the session, immediately after it, and at two-week follow-up; AAQ-II before and immediately after. No control or comparison group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 25 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Aged 18 to 25 years
- Currently enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at GIFT University
- GAD-7 score of 5 or above
- Meets diagnostic criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder, as confirmed by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5)
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Current participation in psychotherapy or pharmacological treatment for anxiety
- Self-reported history of severe psychiatric disorder (e.g., psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder), or any other condition judged during screening likely to interfere with participation in the intervention
- Inability to provide informed consent or complete the study procedures independently
- Failure to meet the study eligibility criteria during the SCID-5 screening interview
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT)A single 120-minute, therapist-led, individual, face-to-face ACT session in Urdu, structured in seven stages and covering the six core ACT processes: introduction and psychoeducation, present-moment awareness, cognitive defusion, acceptance, self-as-context, values clarification and committed action. | Behavioural | SS-ACT |
Primary outcome
Change in generalized anxiety symptoms (GAD-7)
Time frame: Pre-intervention (baseline), immediately post-intervention, and two-week follow-up
Generalized anxiety symptom severity measured with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), a 7-item self-report scale. Total scores range from 0 to 21; higher scores indicate greater anxiety severity. Change was examined across pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and two-week follow-up.
1 secondary outcome
Change in psychological inflexibility (AAQ-II)
Time frame: Pre-intervention (baseline) and immediately post-intervention
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Data are not shared because participants consented on the basis of confidentiality and anonymised data storage.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Single-Session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (SS-ACT) in people with Generalised Anxiety Disorder and Anxiety, run by GIFT University at 1 site in Pakistan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Oct 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Pakistan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in generalized anxiety symptoms (GAD-7) (time frame: Pre-intervention (baseline), immediately post-intervention, and two-week follow-up). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Oct 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 26 Oct 2026.