Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a third wave behavioral therapy that has been applied to a variety of problems including depression, anxiety, stress, substance use, and chronic pain. ACT aims to improve one’s ability to act in alignment with one’s values and goals in the presence of interfering thoughts, emotions, and physical symptoms, which is relevant and has proven to be effective in populations with chronic illness, including pediatric chronic pain (Pielech et al., 2017). Therefore, it may also be notable for children and adolescent cancer patients and survivors; however, there is limited research on the use of ACT in this population.

In 2025, 2,041,910 new cancer cases are projected to occur, and one in 264 children and adolescents are predicted to be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20. The cancer mortality rate for the younger population has declined since 1970 due to enhanced knowledge, treatment, and early detection methods. Although this is an important improvement, it has also led to unique challenges and resulting chronic health problems due to prolonged treatment (Siegel et al., 2025). Research has shown cancer and the typical modalities used to treat the disease may have long term physical and psychosocial impacts for children and adolescents (Li et al., 2013). Due to these potential adverse effects, children and adolescent cancer patients and survivors may benefit from ACT.

The goal of this review is to examine the current literature on ACT in child and adolescent cancer patients and to discuss the potential benefit of implementing ACT interventions for this population in integrated health settings. A narrative review, informed by PRISMA guidelines, is currently underway. Peer reviewed articles have initially been reviewed in PsychINFO, PubMed, and CINAHL. Data regarding the use of ACT and its impact on children and adolescent cancer patients and survivors will be reviewed and summarized. Implications for research and practice in integrated health care settings will be discussed.