Validation of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II in the general Spanish population

AbstractAcceptance and Commitment Therapy states that Experiential Avoidance contributes to the development of psychological issues. The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II measures Experiential Avoidance. The objective of the current study is to perform a validation of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II in the general Spanish population. A sample of 964 participants from all over Spain was used (M = 43.43 years; SD = 15.27). The psychometric properties of the questionnaire were examined according to Classical Test Theory. In addition, assessments were made of participants’ personality, Emotional Intelligence, Anxiety, and Depression, and the influence of sex and age on Experiential Avoidance was examined. The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II is a unidimensional instrument, with excellent reliability (α = .93) and adequate evidence of validity. Differences were observed based on sex, with women scoring higher, and based on age, with lower scores in the older age groups. The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II is a valid, reliable instrument for use in the general Spanish population.

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Effect of an acceptance and commitment group therapy in the treatment of panic disorder and agoraphobia. A preliminary study

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.01.583 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 33 (S1) ◽

pp. s233-s233

Author(s):

L. Leon-quismondo ◽

F. Lopez-rios ◽

E. Rodriguez-pedraza ◽

A. Fernandez-liria ◽

G. Lahera

Keyword(s):

Group Therapy ◽

Panic Disorder ◽

Experiential Avoidance ◽

Mental Health Center ◽

Panic Attacks ◽

Post Evaluation ◽

Group Format ◽

Acceptance And Commitment ◽

Acceptance And Action Questionnaire ◽

Competing Interest

IntroductionAcceptance and commitment therapy for the treatment of panic disorder and agoraphobia has been a big boost in last years, and there are preliminary studies about its efficacy. However, most studies have used individual interventions.ObjectivesEvaluate the effect of an acceptance and commitment group therapy in patients with panic disorder and agoraphobia.MethodsThe sample consisted of 24 patients, aged between 18 and 55 years old, who were referred to groups by psychologists and psychiatrists of Mental Health Center. The intervention in each group consisted of 12 treatment sessions of 1 h 30 m duration, weekly. One pretest and posttest evaluation was conducted. The variables studied were: severity of panic disorder (Panic Disorder Severity Scale [PDSS]), fear of physical sensations (Body Sensations Questionnaire [BSQ]), frequency of catastrophic thoughts (Agoraphobic Cognitions Questionnaire [ACQ]) and level of experiential avoidance (Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II [AAQ-II]).ResultsThe mean scores for all variables studied decreased in the post-evaluation. Means in post-evaluation were significantly lower (t Student, a = 0.10) in three of the four variables studied: severity of the condition (P = 0.001), frequency of catastrophic thoughts (P = 0.038) and level experiential avoidance (P = 0.073). In other words, patients had fewer panic attacks after treatment, and those who had were less intense, they had less catastrophic thoughts about consequences of anxiety, and they were better to accept their feelings and thoughts.ConclusionsAlthough it is necessary to continue the study with a larger sample, these preliminary results support the use of ACT in group format in the treatment of panic disorder and agoraphobia.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Assessing psychological flexibility in test situations: The Test Anxiety Acceptance and Action Questionnaire for Adolescents

Revista de Psicopatología y Psicología Clínica ◽

10.5944/rppc.29014 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (3) ◽

pp. 147

Author(s):

Cláudia P. Pires ◽

David W. Putwain ◽

Stefan G. Hofmann ◽

Dinis S. Martins ◽

Meagan B. MacKenzie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Test Anxiety ◽

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽

Experiential Avoidance ◽

Convergent Validity ◽

Temporal Stability ◽

Psychological Flexibility ◽

Therapy Assessment ◽

Commitment Therapy ◽

Acceptance And Commitment ◽

Acceptance And Action Questionnaire

Abstract: Acceptance-based interventions such as acceptance and commitment therapy motivated the development of measures of psychological flexibility. As an anxiety-based condition, test anxiety can be conceptualized as an experiential avoidance condition. Given the need to evaluate acceptance and action processes in test anxiety and the lack of such an instrument, the present study aimed to explore the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Test Anxiety–Acceptance and Action Questionnaire for Adolescents (TA-AAQ-A), adapted from the Social Anxiety–Acceptance and Action Questionnaire. The sample comprised 827 adolescents (12-18 years old) from 10 Portuguese schools. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a well-adjusted 12-item single-factor measure, invariant across genders. Results also showed high internal consistency and temporal stability, and good convergent validity. Findings suggest the TA-AAQ-A is a reliable and valid measure for the assessment of adolescents’ psychological flexibility in test situations. Keywords: test anxiety; acceptance; psychological flexibility; acceptance and commitment therapy; assessment; adolescents.Evaluación de la flexibilidad psicológica en situaciones de examen: Cuestionario de Aceptación y Acción en la Ansiedad ante los Exámenes para Adolescentes.Resumen: Las intervenciones basadas en la aceptación, como la Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso, llevaron al desarrollo de herramientas de evaluación de la flexibilidad psicológica. La ansiedad ante los exámenes, siendo una condición basada en la ansiedad, puede ser conceptualizada como una condición de evitación experiencial. Considerando la necesidad de evaluar los procesos de aceptación y acción en la ansiedad ante los exámenes y no habiendo ningún instrumento de ese tipo, este estudio pretendió explorar la estructura factorial y las propiedades psicométricas del Cuestionario de Aceptación y Acción en la Ansiedad ante dos Exámenes para Adolescentes (CAA-AE-A), adaptado del Cuestionario de Aceptación y Acción en la Ansiedad Social. Participaron 827 adolescentes (12-18 años) de 10 escuelas portuguesas. Un Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio demostró un modelo bien ajustado, unifactorial, con 12 ítems, invariante entre géneros. Los resultados también mostraron elevada consistencia interna y estabilidad temporal, y buena validez convergente. Estos datos sugieren que el CAA-AE-A es un instrumento fiable y valido para evaluar la aceptación de la flexibilidad psicológica de los adolescentes en situaciones de examen.Palabras clave: ansiedad ante los exámenes; aceptación; flexibilidad psicológica; terapia de aceptación y compromiso; evaluación; adolescentes.

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The effects of the acceptance and commitment therapy on the experiential avoidance and intolerance of uncertainty of mothers with hearing-impaired children

Auditory and Vestibular Research ◽

10.18502/avr.v28i4.1462 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Karim Gharashi ◽

Naeimeh Moheb ◽

Reza Abdi

Keyword(s):

Experiential Avoidance ◽

Intolerance Of Uncertainty ◽

Study Data ◽

Hearing Impaired ◽

Deaf Children ◽

Control Group ◽

Commitment Therapy ◽

Acceptance And Commitment ◽

Acceptance And Action Questionnaire ◽

Quasi Experimental

Background and Aim: Children's hearing loss affects not only their speech and language development but also their mothers’ mental health. This study aimed to determine the effect of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on the intolerance of uncertainty and experiential avoidance of mothers with hearing-impaired or deaf children. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study with the pretest-posttest design with a control group. The study population comprised all mothers of hearing-impaired or deaf children (2−6 years old) in Tabriz City, Iran. Using a purposive sampling method, 32 mothers of hearing-impaired or deaf children were selected and then randomly assigned to control and experimental groups (each group, 16 subjects). The experimental group was treated with ACT in 8 sessions of 1.5 hours long in two weeks. The study data were collected by the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II) and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS). Results: The results showed that ACT significantly increased scores on the AAQ-II and IUS in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: ACT might be an efficient way to decrease intolerance of uncertainty and avoidance of experience in the mothers of hearing-impaired and deaf children. Also, therapists can use this approach for improving the intolerance of uncertainty and experiential avoidance in mothers of hearing-impaired or deaf children in rehabilitation centers.

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¿El Cuestionario de Aceptación y Acción II mide realmente la evitación experiencial?

Revista Evaluar ◽

10.35670/1667-4545.v19.n3.26776 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (3) ◽

pp. 42-53

Author(s):

Pablo Valencia

Keyword(s):

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽

Experiential Avoidance ◽

Strong Correlation ◽

Factor Analyses ◽

Weak Correlation ◽

Cognitive Fusion ◽

Commitment Therapy ◽

Acceptance And Commitment ◽

Acceptance And Action Questionnaire

Experiential avoidance (EA) has played an important role in early and recent conceptualisations of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II (AAQ-II; Bond et al., 2011) is largely used as a measure of EA, in spite of criticism about its validity. The present study examined the latent correlations between the AAQ-II and a new measure of EA: the Avoidance of Suffering Questionnaire (ASQ). In addition, correlations with the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ; Gillanders, 2014) were also examined. Two hundred and forty undergraduates (59% female, Mage = 20.33) completed the questionnaires. Both unrestricted and restricted factor analyses were performed in order to examine the hypothesised associations. The AAQ-II showed a strong correlation with the CFQ, but a rather weak correlation with the ASQ. These results suggest that the AAQ-II may not be a measure of EA.

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A Cross-Sectional Study on the Mental Health of Professionals Working from Home in Tamilnadu, India, during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences ◽

10.14260/jemds/2021/364 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (23) ◽

pp. 1760-1765

Author(s):

Bijulakshmi P.

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Experiential Avoidance ◽

Online Survey ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Work From Home ◽

Working From Home ◽

Acceptance And Action Questionnaire

BACKGROUND The Covid pandemic situation has brought drastic changes in workplace environments around the world with many organizations shifting to work from home (WFH) models. So, an online survey was conducted in India among professionals working from home to evaluate their mental health and determine as to how they were coping with working from home during this pandemic. METHODS An online survey was conducted with an invitation to professionals working from home to participate in the study. The survey questionnaire contained statements regarding their level of comfort in working from home and the statements from the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS - 21) and the acceptance and action questionnaire (AAQ - II). A total of 912 responses were statistically analysed. RESULTS Results showed that 63.9 % of the participants were experiencing various levels of stress, with 8.6 % having severe levels of stress; while 62.9 % had some level of anxiety, 6.9 % of the participants had severe levels of anxiety. 31 % of the respondents had some level of depression while 1.2 % had levels indicative of severe depression. Only 40.5 % of the respondents reported being comfortable working from home and 55 % of the people reported they could not work without disturbances at home. The nature of job, age, gender and parental status all influenced the levels of stress, anxiety and depression while WFH. CONCLUSIONS People who are working from home are stressed, anxious and have various levels of depression as clearly evidenced in this study. KEY WORDS Working from Home, Covid 19 Pandemic, Stress, Anxiety and Depression, Experiential Avoidance

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Efecto de una intervención Act sobre la resistencia aeróbica y evitación experiencial en marchistas / Effect of an ACT Intervention on Aerobic Endurance and Experiential Avoidance in Walkers

Revista Costarricense de Psicología ◽

10.22544/rcps.v34i02.04 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 97

Author(s):

María Clara Rodríguez-Salazar ◽

Ángela Patricia Valero-Ballesteros

Keyword(s):

Data Analysis ◽

Experiential Avoidance ◽

Avoidance Behavior ◽

Test Group ◽

Control Group ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Acceptance And Commitment ◽

Acceptance And Action Questionnaire ◽

Parametric Statistics ◽

Experimental Group

Resumen:El presente estudio tuvo como propósito identificar el efecto de la intervención en Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso (ACT) sobre la resistencia aeróbica y conducta de evitación experiencial en un grupo de marchistas de Bogotá. Se utilizó un diseño pretest-postest con grupo control. La muestra estuvo compuesta por diez marchistas de ambos sexos, con un promedio de edad de 16.70 y un rango entre los 15 y 20 años de edad, pertenecientes a la Liga de Atletismo de Bogotá. Se eligieron por conveniencia. Se emplearon como instrumentos de medición el test de los 3000 m y el Cuestionario de Aceptación Acción (AAQ). La intervención en ACT se realizó en cuatro sesiones en las que se desarrollaron los contenidos definidos por los autores de la intervención (Wilson y Luciano, 2002). Para el análisis de los datos, se empleó estadística no paramétrica a través de la prueba U de Mann-Whitney. Los resultados señalan una mayor resistencia aeróbica en la prueba de los 3000 m en el postest del grupo experimental con respecto al grupo control, así como una mayor aceptación de los eventos internos negativos. Abstract:The purpose of the present study was to identify the effect of an Acceptance and Commitment intervention Therapy (ACT) on aerobic endurance and experiential avoidance behavior of a group of walkers in Bogota. This study used a pretest-posttest design with a control group. The sample consisted of ten walkers of either sex, with an average age of 16.70 years, and a range between 15 and 20 years old, belonging to the Bogotá Athletics League. The participants were chosen as a convenience sample. The instruments used were the 3000-meter test and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ). The ACT intervention was conducted in four sessions, where they developed the contents defined by the authors of this intervention (Wilson and Luciano, 2002). Non-parametric statistics were used for data analysis, by means of the Mann-Whitney U. The posttest results indicate a greater aerobic resistance in the 3000-meter test for the test group in comparison to the control group. Likewise the experimental group shows a greater acceptance for negative internal events.

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Testing the Assumption of Uncorrelated Errors for Short Scales by Means of Structural Equation Modeling

Journal of Individual Differences ◽

10.1027/1614-0001/a000135 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 35 (4) ◽

pp. 201-211 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

André Beauducel ◽

Anja Leue

Keyword(s):

Structural Equation Modeling ◽

Negative Correlation ◽

Structural Equation ◽

Error Score ◽

Classical Test Theory ◽

Test Theory ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Eysenck Personality Questionnaire ◽

Personality Questionnaire ◽

True Score

It is shown that a minimal assumption should be added to the assumptions of Classical Test Theory (CTT) in order to have positive inter-item correlations, which are regarded as a basis for the aggregation of items. Moreover, it is shown that the assumption of zero correlations between the error score estimates is substantially violated in the population of individuals when the number of items is small. Instead, a negative correlation between error score estimates occurs. The reason for the negative correlation is that the error score estimates for different items of a scale are based on insufficient true score estimates when the number of items is small. A test of the assumption of uncorrelated error score estimates by means of structural equation modeling (SEM) is proposed that takes this effect into account. The SEM-based procedure is demonstrated by means of empirical examples based on the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised.

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The Effect of Alternative Scoring Procedures on the Measurement Properties of a Self-Administered Depression Scale

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000371 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 55-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Noboru Iwata ◽

Akizumi Tsutsumi ◽

Takafumi Wakita ◽

Ryuichi Kumagai ◽

Hiroyuki Noguchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Classical Test Theory ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Psychometric Testing ◽

Epidemiologic Studies ◽

Test Theory ◽

Measurement Properties ◽

Irt Model ◽

Response Alternatives ◽

Polytomous Item Response ◽

Θ Point

Abstract. To investigate the effect of response alternatives/scoring procedures on the measurement properties of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) which has the four response alternatives, a polytomous item response theory (IRT) model was applied to the responses of 2,061 workers and university students (1,640 males, 421 females). Test information functions derived from the polytomous IRT analyses on the CES-D data with various scoring procedures indicated that: (1) the CES-D with its standard (0-1-2-3) scoring procedure should be useful for screening to detect subjects with “at high-risk” of depression if the θ point showing the highest information corresponds to the cut-off point, because of its extremely higher information; (2) the CES-D with the 0-1-1-2 scoring procedure could cover wider range of depressive severity, suggesting that this scoring procedure might be useful in cases where more exhaustive discrimination in symptomatology is of interest; and (3) the revised version of CES-D with replacing original positive items into negatively revised items outperformed the original version. These findings have never been demonstrated by the classical test theory analyses, and thus the utility of this kind of psychometric testing should be warranted to further investigation for the standard measures of psychological assessment.

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