scholarly journals The emerging role of acceptance and commitment therapy as a way to treat trauma and stressor related disorders

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S290-S290
Author(s):  
Gisela Simões ◽  
Rita Silva
Keyword(s):  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Psychological Trauma ◽  
Stress Factors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Clinical Effects ◽  
Addictive Disorders ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Mesh Terms ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment

AimsThe aim of this work is to gather and evaluate scientific evidence about the clinical effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in the treatment of patients with trauma-related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).MethodA literature search was conducted on PubMed platform, starting from the following MeSH terms: “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy”, “Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders”, “Psychological Trauma”. Studies obtained were analysed, corresponding to investigations based on an adult population with trauma and stressor related disorders.ResultThe search provided 13 results, of which 12 met the defined criteria. Different types of studies with variable samples were considered, including randomised clinical trials, longitudinal observational studies, narrative reviews and an analysis of case reports.Globally, ACT has been showing a crescent role in the treatment of individuals with trauma histories by enhancing positive outcomes and by being associated with greater psychological flexibility. It is increasingly considered to be well-suited to the treatment of trauma by targeting avoidance, coping strategies with emotional disengagement and persistent dissociation, aspects associated with greater PTSD symptom severity and related psychopathology.Furthermore, research suggests that acceptance-based treatments are helpful in promoting emotional, behavioural, and neural changes in psychological disorders characterised by disgust, shame and guilt that commonly co-occur with PTSD.Among the various exposure factors, we found a growing production of recent literature in which ACT has been applied in the context of oncology life-threatening settings, demonstrating significant improvements in symptoms and quality of life, as well as reductions in emotional disturbances, physical pain and traumatic responses.However, little is known about implementation and results of ACT in situations of trauma and psychiatric comorbidities. Data suggest that, when applied to individuals with psychosis and history of trauma, there is an improvement in overall severity and anxiety symptoms, emotion regulation strategies and a greater sense of engagement in care; nevertheless, reduction of specific trauma symptoms remains controversial. More mention is made about the growth of literature evaluating the application of ACT as a conjunctial therapeutic method for trauma and simultaneous addictive disorders.ConclusionOverall, despite limited published research currently available, some evidence starts to support ACT's promising role as an effective psychotherapeutic approach to trauma and stressor related disorders. Its application in situations where organic diseases represent stress factors has been growing. Future research should focus on clarifying the role of ACT in psychiatric comorbidity scenarios, allowing this psychotherapy to help individuals find a meaningful and valuable life beyond trauma.

Acceptance and commitment therapy and anxiety disorders: Clinical case

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S410-S410
Author(s):  
R. Guijarro ◽  
M. Cerviño ◽  
P. Castrillo
Keyword(s):  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Diagnostic And Statistical Manual ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment ◽  
Flexible Working ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Competing Interest

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a third-generation therapy that relates to human suffering as an inherent part of life in the human condition. Concerning personal values, ACT is focused on the acceptance of suffering, by doing away with the avoidance of things that cause us discomfort.The goal of the therapy is to make a person's reactions to suffering more flexible, working with the role of the symptoms rather than with the eliminating the symptoms themselves.This paper shows how the application of this therapy to a person with generalized anxiety disorder helps to reduce symptoms such as uncontrollable worrying, lack of concentration and muscular tension that these patients often suffer. The modification of symptoms has been measured by a single case study, where the symptoms are assessed by questionnaires before and after the treatment's application. Diagnosis was made according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders’ (DSM-IV) criteria.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Using acceptance and commitment therapy techniques to enhance treatment engagement in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 264-277
Author(s):  
M. Ashton Phillips ◽  
Tannah Chase ◽  
Chandra Bautista ◽  
Annie Tang ◽  
Ellen J. Teng
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Treatment Engagement ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Transdiagnostic Treatment ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment ◽  
Evidence Based Treatments

Evidence-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are available for veterans, but many do not benefit due to low treatment engagement. This may be partially due to avoidance behaviors characteristic of individuals with PTSD. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a transdiagnostic treatment approach that aims to reduce avoidance. The authors propose the use of adjunctive ACT techniques to enhance engagement with treatment for PTSD. ACT techniques such as cognitive defusion and values clarification have been shown to promote engagement with other cognitive-behavioral treatments, but no studies to date have examined these techniques as adjuncts to treatment for PTSD. Because of its focus on reducing avoidance, ACT is uniquely suited for promoting treatment engagement with the “gold standard” treatments for PTSD. The authors review the existing research on ACT as an adjunctive intervention, discuss specific concepts and techniques from ACT that are relevant to PTSD, and provide recommendations for future research.

Developing singing confidence in early childhood teachers using acceptance and commitment therapy and group singing: A randomized trial

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Swain ◽  
Sally Bodkin-Allen
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Randomized Trial ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Early Childhood Teachers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Confidence Measures ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment ◽  
Group Experience

Early childhood teachers are often required to sing, which requires confidence. The purpose of the present study was to treat early childhood teachers who self-identified as uncertain singers using either a group singing (GS) approach, or a talking approach, based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The aim of the study was to increase measures of singing confidence. Forty teachers enrolled in the workshops and were assigned to either ACT or GS. Overall it was found that both ACT and GS resulted in significant improvements in singing confidence. Both interventions were similar on increased confidence measures and the GS outperformed ACT on an overall rating of improvement in self-perceived tone-deafness. We suggest that the interventions had benefits for participants through the group experience itself; that being prepared for music increased their confidence, and that gaining some knowledge of singing techniques led to a sense of empowerment. Implications and future research are discussed.

scholarly journals Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for People Experiencing Appearance-Related Distress Associated With a Visible Difference: A Rationale and Review of Relevant Research

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 171-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Zucchelli ◽  
Olivia Donnelly ◽  
Heidi Williamson ◽  
Nic Hooper
Keyword(s):  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Clinical Effectiveness ◽  
Psychological Trauma ◽  
Body Image Dissatisfaction ◽  
Third Wave ◽  
Mindfulness Skills ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment

People may have a visibly different appearance due to various causes, such as congenital conditions, injury, disease, or medical treatment. Some individuals with a visible difference experience social anxiety and isolation, body image dissatisfaction, shame and self-stigma, psychological trauma, and challenges managing their condition. In this article, we synthesize the relevant literature and present the theoretical rationale for the application of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a third-wave behavioral therapy combining mindfulness skills and value-driven action, to those experiencing distress relating to an unusual or altered appearance. We also outline how ACT may be tailored to the specific considerations of this population and recommend next steps in researching its acceptability and clinical effectiveness.

How acceptance and commitment therapy changed the perspective on support provision for staff working with intellectual disability

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Leoni ◽  
Serafino Corti ◽  
Roberto Cavagnola ◽  
Olive Healy ◽  
Stephen J. Noone
Keyword(s):  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Third Generation ◽  
Behaviour Therapy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment ◽  
Cognitive Behaviour

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a review on evidence-based intervention concerning the reduction of stress/burnout and the improvement of wellbeing for professionals working with people with intellectual disabilities (IDs). Design/methodology/approach – Theoretical models and literature related to stress reduction are reviewed from a classical cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) approach up to the novel contribution of the third generation of cognitive-behavioural therapies, with a specific focus on contextual behavioural sciences and acceptance and commitment Therapy (ACT). Findings – Despite the improvement of CBT-based interventions in reducing risk factors for stress and burnout, the limitations of a problem-solving approach when applied to challenging environments like those of direct support to persons with ID, are still large. Interventions based on the core processes and the related techniques of ACT appear to be promising in promoting the well being of paid carers reducing the risk of burnout, and increasing psychological flexibility. Such factors can increase the ability to clarify personal and professional values, as well as the opportunities to act consistently with such values and achieve greater social reinforcement in the work environment. Research limitations/implications – The limitations of the existing research are presented and discussed. There are several aspects that future research should address in order to promote staff training protocols that could be extensively applied with preventive aims. Organisations could take the available procedures and methodologies and implement these evidence-based practices within existing training. Originality/value – The research on the application of ACT and third generation of behavioural approaches to the wellbeing and behaviour of staff supporting persons with IDs remains limited. The present paper is the first narrative review on this topic.

Systematic Review of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Caregivers, and Staff

2021 ◽  
pp. 014544552110273
Author(s):  
Yors Garcia ◽  
Anastasia Keller-Collins ◽  
Meredith Andrews ◽  
Yukie Kurumiya ◽  
Kaleiya Imlay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorders ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Risk Of Bias ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment ◽  
Direct Measures

The purpose of this review was to quantitatively synthesize studies using acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) with individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NNDs), their parents, and staff members that support them. Thirty studies published in peer-reviewed journals between 2006 and 2020 met inclusion criteria. They were reviewed and coded on variables associated with participants’ characteristics, settings, dropouts, design type, ACT procedures and measures, social validity, treatment integrity, and main findings. The What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB2) and the Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) were applied to evaluate the quality of the studies. Results indicated that 20 studies used group designs and 10 studies used single-case designs. Participants with NNDs consisted predominantly of those with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and learning disabilities. Group studies reported process and outcome measures exclusively; whereas, single-case studies also incorporated behavioral/direct measures. Overall, results showed mixed improvements across studies using indirect and direct measures. Lastly, quality assessment for group studies presented moderate or serious risk of bias and two single-case studies did not meet WWC evidence of effectiveness. Directions for future research and practice are discussed.

scholarly journals Existential therapy versus acceptance and commitment therapy for feelings of loneliness and irrational beliefs in male prisoners

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abolfazl Ziaee ◽  
Hamid Nejat ◽  
Hossein Akbari Amarghan ◽  
Elham Fariborzi
Keyword(s):  
Acceptance And Commitment Therapy ◽  
Irrational Beliefs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Existential Therapy ◽  
Statistical Population ◽  
Commitment Therapy ◽  
Acceptance And Commitment ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Male Prisoners

Today’s people live in a society with many dangers to their peace and security. The effectiveness of different therapies in psychological variables needs to be evaluated to reach the most precise therapies based on research evidence. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of existential therapy (ET) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in alleviating the loneliness and irrational beliefs of male prisoners. In the present quasi-experimental study, the statistical population consisted of all married male prisoners aged between 25 to 45 years in Mashhad Central Prison in the first half of 2017. Among the statistical population, 36 people were selected and then randomly placed in three research groups. The two experimental groups underwent eight separate intervention sessions, ET, and ACT. At the beginning and end of the study, all of the three groups were evaluated by a research questionnaire, including the loneliness scale. The results of data analysis showed that, in comparison with the control group, the changes in the other two groups under ET and ACT were significant as to the feeling of loneliness and irrational beliefs of prisoners. However, there was no significant difference between the effects of these two treatments. The present research was limited in the case of examining the follow-up stage due to lack of access and cooperation of the subjects, incorporating some control variables (such as the history of substance use and psychiatry), and employing other evaluation methods (e.g., interview). It is highly suggested that future research should address these limitations.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document