"Body, Mind, and Self: ACT With Psychoeducation for Female Students Facing Eating Challenges"

Summary

Background: Disturbed eating attitudes are complex mental health conditions that often involve distorted body-image perception, low self-esteem, and heightened anxiety, and affect physical, emotional, and social well-being. Globally, they are considered major mental health problems, particularly among adolescents and young adults. So, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy integrated with psychoeducation on self-esteem, body-image perception, and anxiety among female university students with disturbed eating attitudes. Subjects and method: A quasi-experimental research (pre/post) two groups (study/control) design was utilized from JAN 2026 to APRIL 2026. Setting: The study was conducted at the four faculties, Menoufia University, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Subjects: A purposive sample of 120 students was selected from the previously mentioned setting. Tools of data collection: Five valid tools were used in data collection, tool 1: A structured interview questionnaire to assess socio-demographic characteristics of the studied subjects, tool 2: Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) a widely used measure of self-esteem, tool 3: Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) to assess positive body image by measuring acceptance, favorable opinions, respect, and protective behaviors toward one's body, tool 4: Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) to measure the severity of anxiety symptoms in adults and adolescents, tool 5: The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) widely used screening tools for identifying symptoms of anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders in both clinical and non-clinical populations. Data was analyzed at two points: pre- and post-intervention. Results: Showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the levels of self-esteem, body image perception, anxiety, and disturbed eating attitudes pre-intervention. But post intervention, the study group exhibited significant improvement in self-esteem, body image perception, anxiety, and disturbed eating attitudes. Conclusion: The acceptance and commitment therapy integrated with psychoeducation effectively enhances self-esteem, body-image perception, reduces anxiety, and improves disturbed eating attitudes among female university students with disturbed eating attitudes (study group). Recommendations: Offer simulation-based training for handling complex eating disorder cases, establish multidisciplinary teams (Nurses, psychologists, dietitians) for holistic care plans, Advocate for community awareness programs to reduce stigma and promote early intervention, and develop digital well-being initiatives, including social media detox strategies, as part of adolescence education.

Conditions

• Eating Attitudes

Interventions

OTHER

regular care

control group (N = 60): did not receive the acceptance and commitment therapy integrated with psychoeducation sessions during the study period.

BEHAVIORAL

receive acceptance and commitment therapy integrated with psychoeducation intervention sessions

-Study group students were divided into 6 subgroups of 10 students each. Each subgroup was provided with eight acceptance and commitment therapy integrated with psychoeducation intervention sessions (one session per week on each Sunday for eight consecutive weeks), each lasting approximately 45-60 minutes. The sessions were conducted by one researcher for each group, with six groups being accommodated per day. The sessions given for each researcher are two groups per day which take place from 10 am to 10:45 or 11 am and from 11:15 am to 12:00 or 12:15 pm. The program was implemented over a period of 8 weeks, completing the sessions within two months.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Menoufia University

  collaborator OTHER

• Shereen

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

25 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-01-15

Primary Completion

2026-04-19

Completion

2026-04-19

Countries

• Egypt

Study Locations