Recording if for delegates only
Free eBook
Download the ebook for free
Infographic
Download the pdf
An Update on ACT Research in Children and Young People explores the latest evidence on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for children, adolescents, and emerging adults. Led by Dr. Victoria Samuel, Clinical Psychologist and Director of InTER-ACT: his webinar provides a clear, research‑led overview of psychological flexibility, the core mechanism of ACT, and how it can be applied in practice with children and young people.
Attendees will review recent ACT studies across different settings, including schools, primary care, and specialist mental health services, while also reflecting on methodological strengths and limitations. The session will then turn to a practical example: InTER‑ACT (Interactive Training in Emotional Resilience using ACT), a structured, evidence‑based wellbeing programme designed specifically for children and adolescents. By the end of the webinar, participants will have a stronger understanding of how ACT research can be translated into everyday practice and how to support psychological flexibility in young people in accessible, engaging ways.
Latest ACT Research in Children and Young People
This talk will provide a brief introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), with consideration given to its specific relevance and fit for children and young people (CYP). A clear overview of psychological flexibility (PF) will be given, and we will look at why increasing PF is seen as so important in ACT. Following this, a comprehensive overview will be provided of existing research on the efficacy of ACT for CYP, looking at areas such as: ACT therapy; online self-help ACT interventions; ACT in schools; and ACT for parents. Victoria will then describe her personal experiences of developing an ACT intervention from scratch, describing the sequential stages of research carried out in developing InTER-ACT, a novel universal intervention for adolescents, which is delivered by trained school-staff and youth workers. Victoria will also consider the importance of CYP-friendly measures of psychological flexibility, outlining findings from two studies she supervised, which involved adapting and validating an existing measure of psychological flexibility to ensure its suitability for children and adolescents. Finally, the talk will conclude with a brief discussion of the practical implications of ACT research in the area for CYP clinicians and academics.
Learning outcomes
- To understand the aim and relevance of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for children and young people (CYP).
- To gain an overview of the state of the current evidence on ACT for CYP and the implications of these findings.
- To better understand key stages involved in developing new interventions, through the use of a case study on InTER-ACT – a universal ACT intervention for adolescents.
Meet the speaker – Dr Victoria Samuel
Dr Victoria Samuel is a clinical psychologist with extensive experience of working clinically with young people. Victoria has a strong research background, having worked for ten years at Cardiff University where she oversaw a programme of research on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This included leading a seven-year programme of research to develop a novel universal resilience intervention for secondary school pupils: InTER-ACT. Victoria is enthusiastic about the unique benefits of ACT and has provided teaching on ACT for CYP to hundreds of doctorate students, as well as providing bespoke ACT training to health professionals working in uniquely traumatic contexts.