A pilot randomised controlled study exploring the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for Chinese international students

INTERVENTION: ACT Intervention Group:The ACT intervention was culturally adapted from the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy program developed by Brandolin et al. (2023) for international students in Finland. The core modules included: Values: What motivates you and what is important to you (Week 1); Commitment: Taking action toward your personal values (Week 2); Mindfulness: Being present in the moment (Week 3); Defusion: Not getting caught up in your thoughts (Week 4); and Acceptance: The power of self‐compassion (Week 5). The intervention materials underwent a rigorous translation and back‐translation process to ensure linguistic accuracy and cultural relevance. The program was delivered in a closed‐group format, consisting of five weekly sessions, each lasting 90 minutes. All sessions were conducted online via Microsoft Teams. ;Psychoeducation Active Control Group:To control nonspecific intervention effects, participants in this group received a structured psychoeducation program based on Mental Health Education for University Students by Liu et al. (2024). The core topics included: Mental Health Awareness and Self‐Assessment (Week 1); Managing your emotions (Week 2); Building Psychological Resilience (Week 3); Enhancing interpersonal communication skills (Week 4); Strengthening intrinsic motivation for learning (Week 5). The program did not include any core ACT processes. The delivery format was fully matched to the ACT group in terms of session frequency, duration, group size, and mode of delivery. Participants attended five weekly online group sessions (90 minutes each) via Microsoft Teams.;Waitlist Control Group:Participants assigned to the waitlist control group did not receive any active intervention during the study period and were only required to complete online assessmen CONDITION: None PRIMARY OUTCOME: Feasibility ;Acceptability; SECONDARY OUTCOME: Psychological Flexibility;Psychological Distress;Subjective Well‐being ;Psychological Adaptation;Sociocultural Adaptation; INCLUSION CRITERIA: INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Age >= 18 years; 2. Full‐time international students holding a Chinese passport; 3. Participants must have sufficient Chinese/Mandarin proficiency to understand the interventions and complete the baseline/post‐test/follow‐up questionnaires; 4. Provide informed consent.