Mindfulness-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

2022 ◽  
pp. 68-88
Author(s):  
Sindhu B. S.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is one of the latest mindfulness-based behavior therapies shown to have compelling evidence and efficacy with a wide range of clinical conditions. ACT is so hard to categorize that it is often described as an amalgamation of existential, humanistic, cognitive-behavioural therapy. ACT is often referred as process-based CBT and is one of the ‘third-wave' of behavioural therapies. It is currently the fastest growing evidence-based therapy in the world, with currently at least 304 Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) being recorded all over the world. It has proven effective in different cultural contexts with a diverse set of clinical conditions, from depression, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, chronic pain, grief, loss and terminal illness, anxiety, and workplace stress.

2021 ◽  
pp. 025371762199673
Author(s):  
Joel Philip ◽  
Vinu Cherian

Recent years have witnessed an increased interest in the use of “third-wave” psychotherapies in treating psychiatric disorders. These newer therapies are fundamentally different from the existing techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy in terms of their guiding principles and processes of change. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is the most prominent among these “third wave” psychotherapies. However, there have not been any reports from India, thus far, that have studied the use of ACT in treating obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). We describe a case of OCD that was successfully treated with eight sessions of ACT, with the results being maintained over a one-month follow-up period. Postintervention tests revealed a significant decrease in obsessive–compulsive symptoms and an associated increase in psychological flexibility. This case study highlights the possible utility of ACT as a therapeutic intervention in OCD, especially when combined with pharmacotherapy.


2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 667-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Cullen

AbstractThis paper introduces Acceptance and commitment Therapy (ACT) as one of the newer contextualist behaviour therapies. A brief history of the development of ACT is outlined. The concepts of equivalence and laterality and the important relationship between Relational Frame Theory and ACT are then described. The “hexagram” summary of the six core linked processes in ACT is presented and, finally, the research evidence to support the effectiveness of ACT applied to a range of clinical conditions and client groups is summarized.


2020 ◽  
Vol 84 (Supplement A) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hassan Davazdahemami ◽  
Abolfazl Bayrami ◽  
Julie M. Petersen ◽  
Michael P. Twohig ◽  
Maryam Bakhtiyari ◽  
...  

The authors investigated the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for the treatment of death anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with eight adult women in Iran. The ACT protocol was conducted in weekly solo sessions with each participant for 8 weeks (45 minutes each). The results were analyzed by visual analysis method and improvement percentage. ACT resulted in a 60%–80% decrease in death anxiety and a 51%–60% decrease in obsessive-compulsive symptoms, thereby indicating promise for ACT as a treatment for OCD and death anxiety.


2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Springer

As described by Hayes, Strosahl, and Wilson (1999), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is one of several methods for integrating mindfulness concepts into mental health treatment. Unlike many counseling approaches, ACT does not assume that the goal of treatment is to better control thoughts, feelings, or other private events. Individuals are taught to notice phenomena and take a nonjudgmental stance toward them rather than trying to control, avoid, or otherwise minimize them. Although relatively new, ACT has increasing support for its effectiveness in addressing a variety of problems (Pull, 2009). This article addresses the theoretical foundation and basic principles of ACT, reviews the research, presents a case study to illustrate how it can be applied, and discusses the counseling implications.


2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 256-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Buchholz ◽  
Jonathan Abramowitz

Exposure and response prevention (ERP) for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is often highly effective, yet some patients experience relapses following a seemingly successful course of treatment. In this article we describe the conceptual basis of ERP, and then present a client who relapsed after seemingly achieving substantial improvement following 11 sessions of ERP. Likely reasons for the relapse and strategies for enhancing ERP to achieve better long-term treatment outcomes are discussed from the perspective of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). These strategies mainly apply to the implementation of situational (in vivo) and imaginal exposure therapy, but also include suggestions for optimizing the use of cognitive therapy for OCD.


2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew B. Armstrong ◽  
Kate L. Morrison ◽  
Michael P. Twohig

There is growing support for the use of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) as a treatment for adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but no research has been published on the use of ACT for adolescent OCD. This preliminary study investigated ACT for youth with OCD using a multiple baseline across participants design. Three adolescents, ages 12 or 13 years, were treated with 8–10 sessions of ACT (without in-session exposure exercises). The primary dependent variable was daily self-monitoring of compulsions. Results showed a 40% mean reduction in self-reported compulsions from pretreatment to posttreatment, with results maintained at 3-month follow-up, for a reduction of 43.8%. Pretreatment to posttreament reductions in Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) ratings of OCD severity were 50.0%, 12.5%, and 22.0%; pretreatment to follow-up reductions were 54.0%, 12.5%, and 61.0%. Treatment procedures were rated by participants and parents as highly acceptable. Implications and future directions are discussed.


2021 ◽  
pp. 352-369
Author(s):  
Jennifer Krafft ◽  
Julie M. Petersen ◽  
Michael P. Twohig

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a cognitive-behavioral therapy that developed out of behavior analysis with the goal of addressing the impact of language and cognition on human behavior. Theoretical, experimental, cross-sectional, and intervention studies on ACT for obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs), as well as the development of assessment instruments to measure related constructs, have been conducted. This chapter provides an update on this scholarly work and basic guidance on how ACT can be used in the treatment of OCRDs. The chapter begins with a review of the basics of ACT, as well as the research supporting its use with OCRDs. The rest of the chapter covers the assessment, case conceptualization, and implementation of ACT.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 438-455
Author(s):  
Rosanna Chapman ◽  
Bethan Evans

Anxiety is a common experience for young people with an autism spectrum condition (ASC). This article describes the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) through the medium of art to increase well-being for a young woman with ASC and significant anxiety. An ACT art protocol was delivered over 8-weekly sessions with outcome measured administered at baseline, pre-, mid- and post-intervention. Follow-up data were also obtained 3 months after the intervention. It was found that the young person experienced improvements in measures of well-being and psychological flexibility. Importantly, these were seen to translate to increased engagement in activities that were in line with the young person’s values. This demonstrates that using third-wave approaches for young people with ASC can result in improvements in well-being and quality of life, but that adaptations in line with person-centered care are crucial to facilitate engagement and produce meaningful change.


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