Turkish validation of the CompACT: assessing psychological flexibility among emergency aid and disaster management students

Psychological flexibility is a central construct in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and an important protective factor for mental health, particularly among individuals expected to function effectively under high stress and uncertainty, such as those in emergency aid and disaster management. Despite its relevance for this population, no Turkish version of the Comprehensive Assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Processes (CompACT) had been available. The present study aimed to perform a cross-cultural adaptation of the English version of CompACT into Turkish and to evaluate its psychometric properties in emergency aid and disaster management students. The study was conducted in two phases: translation and cross-cultural adaptation, followed by psychometric evaluation in a sample of 302 students. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.21 and AMOS v.22 through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, reliability analyses, test-retest analysis, and correlational validity testing. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) showed that the CompACT consisted of three factors (Openness to Experience, Behavioral Awareness, and Valued Action) explaining 75.848% of the total variance, comprising 20 items. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed that the three-factor model provided the best fit to the data ( χ ²/df = 2.590, CFI = 0.963, TLI = 0.956, RMSEA = 0.073). The scale demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (overall alpha = 0.843) and temporal stability (test-retest r > 0.70 across all subscales), and its expected negative associations with the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II ( r = −0.365) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 ( r = −0.403) supported its criterion-related validity.