Effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for suicidality: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is recognised as an effective treatment for a variety of mental illnesses. Several meta-analyses have reported the efficacy of ACT in various mental and physical conditions, including depression, anxiety, and pain, but not for suicidality. This study aimed to determine the therapeutic effectiveness of ACT on suicidality through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies. The primary outcome measure was the effectiveness of ACT for suicidality which includes suicidal ideations and attempts. This systematic review and meta-analysis included eight studies, all of which were judged to have a high risk of bias. In the meta-analysis, the pooled standardised mean difference for suicidal ideations was 1.122 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.261 to 1.982). This meta-analysis suggests that ACT is effective for reducing suicidal ideation, but the high risk of bias across studies should be considered as a major limitation. Further well-designed studies are needed to confirm these findings.