KMAN Publication Inc. (KMANPUB) KMAN Counseling & Psychology Nexus 3041-9026 In Press 2027 01 01 Effectiveness of a Continuous Care Model for Treatment Adherence Based on the ACT Approach on Perceived Stress in Patients with Diabetes Effectiveness of a Continuous Care Model for Treatment Adherence Based on the ACT Approach on Perceived Stress in Patients with Diabetes 1 13 EN Journal Article 2026 07 16 <p>This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a continuous care model for treatment adherence based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in reducing perceived stress among patients with diabetes. This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest–posttest control-group design with a two-month follow-up. The statistical population consisted of patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes living in Isfahan, Iran, in 2024. Thirty eligible participants were selected through purposive sampling and randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 15) and a control group (n = 15). The experimental group received eight weekly 90-minute sessions of an ACT-based continuous care intervention focused on acceptance, mindfulness, emotional and cognitive experiences, lifestyle adjustment, adherence barriers, coping strategies, and maintenance planning, while the control group received no psychological intervention. Perceived stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale at pretest, posttest, and two-month follow-up. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 26 using mixed repeated-measures analysis of variance after examination of normality, homogeneity of variance, and sphericity assumptions. The mixed ANOVA showed a significant main effect of time on perceived stress, F = 68.10, p &lt; .001, partial η² = .709. The time-by-group interaction was also statistically significant, F = 61.20, p &lt; .001, partial η² = .686, indicating that changes in perceived stress across the three assessment stages differed significantly between the experimental and control groups. In addition, the between-subjects effect of group was significant, F = 24.04, p &lt; .001, partial η² = .462. These findings indicated a substantial intervention-related reduction in perceived stress that was largely maintained at follow-up. The ACT-based continuous care model appears to be an effective psychological intervention for reducing perceived stress in patients with diabetes, with effects that persisted for at least two months after treatment.</p> https://www.journals.kmanpub.com/index.php/psychnexus/article/download/6537/12183