Dr. TONG Ka-Ho, AdrianAdrianDr. TONG Ka-HoYeung, Hau YeeHau YeeYeung2026-06-242026-06-242026Tong, K. H., & Yeung, H. Y. (26 Jun 2026). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in immersive art experiences for cultural minorities in Germany: Preliminary findings from a reflexive thematic analysis. SPR 57th International Annual Meeting, Osaka, Japan.http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11861/27705Cultural minorities in Germany frequently endure significant acculturative stress, a condition often intensified by psychological inflexibility—the rigid dominance of internal reactions over value-driven behaviors (Hayes et al., 1999; Lee & Kim, 2014). Although Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is effective for such challenges, access to culturally sensitive counseling remains scarce, necessitating the exploration of scalable, low-intensity alternatives. Since therapeutic efficacy is deeply rooted in experiential learning (Hayes et al., 2012; Kolb, 1984), immersive art presents a novel pathway to enhance self-awareness and foster psychological flexibility; however, research intersecting these fields remains limited. This qualitative study investigates the subjective experiences of minorities engaging with an ACT-based immersive art exhibition. We designed a four-station installation (30 minutes journey), with each station embodying a core ACT process: Creative Hopelessness, Acceptance, Cognitive Defusion, and Values Clarification. Semi-structured interviews (30 minutes) were conducted with 10 recent immigrants (residency under five years) following their engagement, and data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four primary themes emerged: The translation of ACT concepts through immersive aesthetics; The experiential outcomes of engagement; The mechanisms of impact; and The limitation of reconstructing cultural identity. Findings indicate that the exhibition’s multisensory nature provided a vital "container" for participants to confront suppressed thoughts, facilitating the process of "making space" for difficult emotions. While promising as a low-intensity intervention, limitations regarding privacy and the abstraction of cultural challenges were noted. Consequently, future iterations should incorporate greater interactivity and personalized audio elements to deepen relevance and ensure psychological safety for diverse populations.enConference Paper