Determining the Feasibility and Acceptability of Valued Living: An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-Based Digital Mental Health Intervention for Autistic Adults

Digital Mental Health Interventions (DMHIs) are easily contextualized and scalable and thus provide a promising potential solution to increasing access to mental health supports among autistic adults. To date, there is limited research that has explored the feasibility and acceptability of DMHIs among autistic adults. Accordingly, the current study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of a six-session, co-created DMHI based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). We encountered issues in recruiting autistic adults (e.g., slow recruitment, disingenuous responders, etc.), which provides considerations for the feasibility of larger trials using direct-to-consumer advertisements. Mixed methods results suggest that the program was generally highly acceptable among the N = 56 participants enrolled in the program. Average ratings using the System Usability Scale met the benchmark score for “excellent” program satisfaction (M = 74.6, SD = 20.6) and qualitative themes suggested both personal and program characteristics that influence program acceptability. Implications for future research and program refinement and scaling are provided.