- Improves processes of change amongst tested subjects
- Reduces psychological symptoms such as social anxiety and depression
- improves mood processes amongst individuals with PTSD after Traumatic Brain Injury
- it does not require formal practice
- Lessen the likelihood of re-hospitilization for Chronic Mental illness
- Lessen Believability of positive schizophrenic symptoms
- Can decrease symptom occurrence
- less time consuming compared to practices like MBSR
- a trans-diagnostic treatment method: it can treat more than one disorder at a time


Benefits of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy 

Techniques that attempt to alter the undesirable functions of thoughts rather than trying to change their form, frequency, or situational sensitivity. It tries to change the way one interacts with or relates to thoughts. 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy core process: Cognitive defusion

It is the nonjudgmental contact with the self and the environment. It promotes experiencing the world more directly, so one can be more flexible, and their actions can be more consistent with their values. This is done by trying to take more control over thoughts and actions by observing rather than judging and predicting. 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Core Process: Being present

One can be aware of one’s own flow of experiences without being attached to them or an investment in which particular experiences can occur: thus defusion and acceptance is fostered. Self as context is fostered in ACT by mindfulness exercises, metaphors, and experiential processes.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Core Process: Self as Context

Values are chosen qualities of action that cannot be obtained as an object but can be observed in the moment. It uses a variety of exercises to help choose life paths with decreasing negative verbal processes like avoidance. 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Core Process: Values

Commitment to develop patterns of effective action linked to chosen values. This could include goals, homework, mindfulness exercises, etc that can lead to short, medium, or longterm behavioral changes. 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Core Process: Committed Action

It is the opposite of experimental avoidance. Acceptance is embracing and being actively aware of the events one is trying to avoid. 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy core process: Acceptance

-Acceptance

-Cognitive Defusion

-Being Present

-Self as Context

-Values

-Committed Action



Wake Forest University

The process/way of living through which behaviors and actions are strictly guided by psychological experiences (thoughts, feelings, etc.) rather than ones’ meaningful values or by actions that might be effective. 

Psychological Inflexibility 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) centers on the utilization of acceptance, values, mindfulness and conventional behavior change methods with the goal of reducing psychological inflexibility. 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy 

The general idea of RFT is that the core of human language and cognition is the learned and controlled ability to relate events mutually and in combination with each other in context, and to alter the functions of specific events based on their relations to others.

Relational Frame Theory

Hayes, S. C., Luoma, J. B., Bond, F. W., Masuda, A., & Lillis, J. (2006). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Model, processes and outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(1), 1-25.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Model, processes and outcomes.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: 6 core processes (psychological flexibility model) 

Populations positively affected by ACT include: 
- College students
- Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Individuals with PTSD after Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Psychotic Patients 
- Depressed patients
- Individuals with chronic pain conditions
- Individuals with both Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depression
- Physical Therapy Patients

Populations that Benefit from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Although mindfulness interventions are commonly thought of as a treatment solely for mental and psychological illness, various mindfulness interventions have been used in physical rehabilitation.

Mindfulness in Physical Rehabilitation 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy has been applied in the following formats to bring about positive effects: 

- Self-help programs (self-guided and clinician assisted)

- group interventions (teach skills together)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Formats of Application 

There are many online services and apps that are available that allow people to practice Mindfulness Interventions such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) from one’s own device. The ease of accessibility, lower cost, and convenience of these services are some of the pros of online MBI practices over face-to-face MBIs. 

Mindfulness Apps and Online Services

- Values 
- Committed Action 
- Defusion 
- Acceptance 
- Self as Context 
- Connecting with the present moment

Six Processes of Acceptance Commitment Therapy

A study examined the effectiveness of an adolescent ACT prevention program. The program aimed to use ACT methods to prevent teens from developing anxiety, depression, and other psychopathologies rather than using it as a means to treat these symptoms, which is how ACT is typically used. The study used an ACT condition and a control condition, with students in the ACT group participating in the ACT program while the control group participated in normal class activities. Both students and teachers were accepting of the program and found it feasible to implement it into the regular class time schedule. Additionally, students in the ACT condition demonstrated a difference in anxiety/depression scores. 

ACT Prevention Program for Adolescents

Studies have indicated that there are several ways in which ACT can be adapted to suit teenagers' biological, psychological, and social development. Some ways that this can be done is by involving teens' parents and peers, using personalized goal setting, incorporating the teen's interests, and explaining more abstract concepts using more cognitive methods. It is also important to note that evidence has suggested that ACT may be more suitable for some teens more than others, with it tending to be more effective with teens who are able to think more abstractly. 

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