Tracking Psychological Flexibility in College Students with the Psy-flex and Choice Point: Reliability and Validity

Abstract

Abstract Introduction. Research indicates that psychological flexibility is an important component of mental health. However, used measures for psychological flexibility suffer from several limitations. Considering these shortcomings, a new measure for psychological flexibility is developed, the Psy-flex. The aim of this study was to investigate the Psy-flex as an adequate assessment tool to measure psychological flexibility and change after an intervention, the Choice Point, in the population of college students. Method. A mixed-method design was used, consisting of a questionnaire study for the first part and an intervention for the second part. The target sample for the questionnaire study consisted of 128 college students, whereas two participants completed the intervention. A quantitative data- analysis was conducted to assess the reliability and the validity of the Psy-flex and a qualitative text-analysis was used to analyze the answers to evaluation questions regarding the intervention. Results. The results of the quantitative data-analysis indicated that the Psy-flex was a reliable and valid measure for psychological flexibility. The qualitative data indicated that all core processes were used during the intervention. For participant 2 progress in the processes values and committed action were made after the Choice Point intervention and perceived academic procrastination was reduced. Discussion. The present study indicated that the Psy-flex is an adequate tool for measuring psychological flexibility in the population of college students. Given its association with psychopathological problems and well-being, the Psy-flex can be used as a screening tool for ACT in the clinical setting. Future research should explore the underlying mechanisms of psychological flexibility to get a better understanding of the core processes and targets for treatment.