A Single-Arm Trial of a Web-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Mental Health Promotion Intervention for University Students

University students experience high rates of psychological distress and frequently encounter barriers to accessing professional mental health support. Web-based interventions may provide a scalable and accessible approach for promoting mental health and well-being in university settings. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a transdiagnostic behavioural intervention that aims to increase psychological flexibility and has demonstrated beneficial effects on a range of psychological and academic outcomes among university students. YOLO (You Only Live Once) is a four-week, self-guided, web-based ACT mental health promotion program developed for university students. Previous pilot and randomized controlled evaluations of YOLO demonstrated significant improvements in psychological well-being, distress, and academic functioning. Following these encouraging findings, YOLO was integrated into the University of Queensland's suite of digital well-being resources for students, and the present study was designed to evaluate its university-wide implementation using a prospective single-arm interventional approach. The study aims to evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of the YOLO program in improving psychological distress, well-being, life satisfaction, academic performance, and psychological flexibility/inflexibility processes. In addition, the study will examine the feasibility, acceptability, usability, and engagement associated with participation in the intervention and investigate whether changes in psychological flexibility/inflexibility processes are associated with improvements in mental health and well-being outcomes. Findings from this study are expected to inform the future implementation and dissemination of web-based ACT interventions within university settings.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Currently enrolled student at the University of Queensland. 2. Aged 18 years or older. 3. Sufficient computer and internet literacy; 4. Fluent knowledge of the English language. 5. Able to access the web-based platform. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Current high risk of suicide or self-harm; 2. Severe cognitive impairment or neurocognitive difficulties that would prevent informed consent, completion of self-report assessments, or meaningful engagement with the self-guided online intervention. 3. Current severe psychiatric or medical condition that would make participation inappropriate or unsafe, or that would require more intensive clinical care than can be provided by a self-guided mental health promotion program.