- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) encourages people to embrace their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or feeling guilty for them.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is built on the Relational Frame Theory, a theory based on the idea the human ability to relate is the foundation of language and cognition.
Is acceptance and commitment therapy effective?
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has been shown to
be efficacious in numerous disorders
, such as anxiety and depression (e.g., [1]), psychosis (e.g., [2]), phobias (e.g., [3]), alcohol use, anger, and stress (e.g., [4]), obesity (e.g., [5]), burnout [6], and treatment-resistant patients [7].
What is the goal of acceptance and commitment therapy?
The goal of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is
to increase psychological flexibility
, or the ability to enter the present moment more fully and either change or persist in behavior when doing so serves valued ends.
Does acceptance and commitment therapy work for anxiety?
Although CBT is an effective form of therapy for social anxiety disorder (SAD), not everyone responds to CBT. Acceptance and commitment therapy
shows promise for use with SAD
and can be used in brief or long-term individual, couples or group therapy.
How do you explain acceptance and commitment therapy?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
encourages people to embrace their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or feeling guilty for them
. It may seem confusing at first, but ACT paired with mindfulness-based therapy offers clinically effective treatment.
What is ACT therapy best for?
ACT has been used effectively to help treat
workplace stress
, test anxiety, social anxiety disorder, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and psychosis. It has also been used to help treat medical conditions such as chronic pain, substance abuse, and diabetes.
What are the six principles of acceptance and commitment therapy?
- Cognitive defusion.
- Expansion and acceptance.
- Contact and connection with the present moment.
- The Observing Self.
- Values clarification.
- Committed action (Harris, 2006; Harris, 2007)
Is Act more effective than CBT?
A 2012 meta-analysis was more positive and reported that
ACT outperformed CBT
, except for treating depression and anxiety. A 2015 review found that ACT was better than placebo and typical treatment for anxiety disorders, depression, and addiction.
How many sessions is acceptance and commitment therapy?
This study investigated the effectiveness of
eight sessions
of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for adult obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) compared to Progressive Relaxation Training (PRT).
Is acceptance and commitment therapy evidence based?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has
accrued a substantial evidence base
. Recent systematic and meta-analytic reviews suggest that ACT is effective compared to control conditions.
Is ACT or CBT better for anxiety?
Therapist adherence and competency were good; treatment credibility was higher in
CBT
. Conclusions: Overall improvement was similar between ACT and CBT, indicating that ACT is a highly viable treatment for anxiety disorders.
What is ACT treatment for anxiety?
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for anxiety disorders is
an innovative acceptance-based behavior therapy
that focuses on decreasing the behavior regulatory function of anxiety and related cognitions, and has a strong focus on behavior change that is consistent with client values (1).
In our mixed anxiety disorder sample, we posited that
ACT outperformed CBT
among those with mood disorders because, whereas CBT for anxiety disorders targets anxiety symptoms specifically, ACT addresses negative affect globally.
What kind of therapy is ACT?
Acceptance and commitment therapy
(ACT) teaches mindfulness skills to help individuals live and behave in ways consistent with personal values while developing psychological flexibility.
How does ACT work for depression?
ACT uses
mindfulness practices
to help people increase awareness and develop an attitude of acceptance and compassion in the presence of painful thoughts and feelings. Additionally, ACT heavily emphasizes the role of values to help people create meaningful lives.
