Liu, Y., Chen, Y., Liu, Z., Zhang, Y., Wu, M., & Zhu, Z (2023). The effect of DNA-V model intervention on learning behaviors and stress in Chinese adolescents: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 30, 181-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2023.10.005
Objective
The Discoverer Noticer Advisor-Value (DNA-V) model is an adaption of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which focuses on adolescent development and value-led behavioral change. However, few studies have validated the effectiveness of this model in adolescents in learning environments. This study thus aimed to examine the effectiveness of a Chinese version of the DNA-V model in a Chinese middle school student population. Additionally, we sought to determine whether online or face-to-face versions of the model were more effective.
Methods
One-hundred and thirty-six middle school students were randomly divided into a face-to-face DNA-V group (n = 40), an Internet DNA-V (iDNA-V) group (n = 50), and a traditional group (control, n = 46). The intervention was administered with a 45-min psychology course once a week for six weeks. The three groups were assessed on three core variables of academic learning motivation, strategies, and confidence, as well as stress at three time points (pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at a two-month follow-up).
Results
Repeated-measures ANOVA showed that the Group × Time Point interaction was significant for learning motivation (F(4,266) = 2.746, p = 0.029, ηp2 = 0.04) and stress (F(4,266) = 3.681, p = 0.006,ηp2 = 0.05). Learning motivation scores showed no between-group differences at any of the three time points, but the iDNA-V group showed significant improvement at the two-month follow-up and the traditional group showed significant gains at post-intervention that were maintained until the follow-up test. The DNA-V group exhibited lower stress scores at follow-up than at the pre-intervention assessment (p = 0.002) and post-intervention assessment (p = 0.005), with significantly lower stress follow-up scores than those of the iDNA-V (p = 0.024) and control (p = 0.023) groups.
Conclusion
These results suggest that different intervention formats of DNA-V can be used as an alternative to traditional adolescent school psychology programs. It is important to consider how to emotionally support students when designing and developing internet-based DNA-V intervention programs to increase the effectiveness of this program for stress intervention.
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