ACBS Newsletter

January 2019

Call for Nominations: Board of Directors

This year, ACBS needs to elect four new members to the Board of Directors: President, two Members-at-large, and Student Representative. Submit your nominations here by February 1. In addition to the candidates' bios and platform statements, we are facilitating a brief question and answer opportunity with the candidates. This will be done in writing, and the selected questions and responses will be posted on the website. You can submit your questions here by February 10.

Interview with ACBS Member Michelle Maidenberg

Welcome to a new feature of the ACBS monthly newsletter where we learn more about the inspiring work of ACBS members. This month, we will learn about Michelle Maidenberg, the co-founder of "Thru My Eyes," a non-profit organization that creates “living” legacy videos for the children of people with life-threatening illnesses.

New Romania Chapter

We are excited to announce the newest ACBS Chapter, the Romania Chapter! The purpose of the ACBS Romania Chapter is to ensure and support the development and dissemination of contextual behavioral science and practice within Romania so as to alleviate human suffering and advance human well being. ACBS members can join the Romania Chapter and learn more about the chapter on the ACBS website.

New Physiotherapy SIG

We are excited to announce the newest ACBS Special Interest Group (SIG), the Physiotherapy SIG! The new SIG will explore all aspects of Physiotherapy and ACT, share information, and facilitate Physiotherapists (PTs) to network with each other. ACBS members can join the new Physiotherapy SIG and learn more about the SIG on the ACBS website.

Awards Committee Needs Volunteers

The ACBS Awards Committee is seeking members with diverse backgrounds to join their team. Each year the Awards Committee develops and administers awards and recognition programs including the Michael J. Asher Student Dissertation Awards and ACBS Fellows. This committee also assists in selecting the Junior Investigator Poster Awards from the poster presentations at the World Conference. Please indicate your interest here to join the Awards Committee!

Feasibility of contextual behavioral speech analyses of US presidents: Inaugural addresses of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, 1993–2017

In JCBS Vol. 10, Jordan Belisle, Dana Paliliunas, Mark Dixon, & Jonathan Tarbox analyze relational frames within inaugural addresses of USA presidents. The paper explains the greatest between subject variance was observed in their use of coordinative and distinctive relations, with Donald Trump using the largest number of frames of distinction and Barack Obama using the largest number of frames of coordination. ACBS members can read it for free in the JCBS member portal.

ACBS World Conference 17

Registration is now open Join us in Dublin, Ireland, for the 17th World Conference of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) 27-30 June, 2019 with Pre-Conference Workshops on 25-26 June, 2019. Registration is now open! Early Registration Rates available until 7 April. Call for Submissions Deadlines The general Call for oral presentations (symposia, papers, panels, ignites, and workshops) is open until 15 February, 2019. Poster submissions will be accepted until 20 March, 2019.  You can read more about the submission process on the ACBS website.  Scholarships Deadlines We are pleased to inform you that the ACBS Diversity Committee, Developing Nations Committee, and Student SIG have scholarships available to help attend the 17th World Conference in Dublin. - Developing Nations Conference Scholars - Deadline is 1 February, 2019. - Diversity Conference Scholars - Deadline is 1 February, 2019. - Student Conference Scholars - Deadline is 15 February, 2019. Asher Dissertation Awards Deadline The Michael J. Asher Student Dissertation Awards will be given to two students based on their doctoral dissertation proposal related to the use of Contextual Behavioral Science with children/adolescents. Accompanying this honor will be monetary awards of $750 USD and $250 USD to be used in support of research and/or to facilitate travel to the ACBS annual conference. The deadline to apply is 1 February, 2019.

New Clinical Behavior Analysis SIG

We are excited to announce the newest ACBS Special Interest Group (SIG), the Clinical Behavior Analysis SIG! The new CBA SIG explores the ways in which behavior analysis can be applied to understanding, designing, and evaluating interventions that are primarily language-based with limited appeal to middle-level terms or treatment packages. ACBS members can join the CBA SIG, hop onto the CBA SIG listserv, and learn more about the CBA SIG on its webpage.

Thank you to the Conference Strategy Committee

ACBS committees are staffed entirely by volunteers. We want to thank the Conference Strategy Committee Chair, Manuela O'Connell, and her committee members for the outstanding work that they do. The Conference Strategy Committee (CSC) is responsible for meeting the organization's research and training objectives as they relate to ACBS's World Conference. You can read more about the committee on the ACBS website.

Student Spotlight Award

In conjunction with the ACBS Student Special Interest Group (SIG), it is our pleasure to introduce the most recent Student Spotlight Award recipient! This month's featured student is Lynn Farrell, a Ph.D. student at University College Dublin (Ireland). She is conducting research into the nature and malleability of implicit gender bias in STEM fields using the IRAP. You can learn about Lynn and her work here.

A brief Acceptance and Commitment Therapy intervention for depression: A randomized controlled trial with 3-year follow-up for the intervention group

In JCBS Vol. 10, Heidi Maria Kyllönen, Joona Muotka, Anne Puolakanaho, Piia Astikainen, Katariina Keinonen, and Raimo Lappalainen examined the outcomes of a 6 session ACT intervention for depression delivered by novice therapists. The paper concluded a 6-h ACT intervention delivered by novice therapists can lead to improvement in approximately 60–70% of depressed clients. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

ACBS World Conference 17

Join us at the DCU Helix in Dublin, Ireland, for the 17th World Conference of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) 27-30 June, 2019. Pre-Conference Workshops will be held 25-26 June, 2019. Registration is open. Early Registration Rates available until 7 April. Poster submissions deadline is 20 March, 2019.

Pre-Conference Workshop: Using Relational Frame Theory to supercharge therapeutic (ACT) and educational (SMART) interventions for children and adolescents

Sarah Cassidy, Bryan Roche, Evelyn Gould, and Giovambattista Presti will be presenting the pre-conference workshop Using Relational Frame Theory to supercharge therapeutic (ACT) and educational (SMART) interventions for children and adolescents on Tuesday 25 June and Wednesday 26 June. This workshop will focus on how an understanding of verbal processes allows us to better help children and adolescents suffering from educational and behavioral challenges.

New Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion SIG

We are excited to announce the newest ACBS Special Interest Group (SIG), the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion SIG! The new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) SIG aims to help members with different backgrounds share their perspectives within the organization through different channels. ACBS members can join the DEI SIG, hop onto the DEI SIG listserv, and learn more about the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion SIG on its webpage.

JCBS: Call for papers for special issue on Contextual Behavioral Science and the Psychedelic Renaissance

The aim of this special issue is to summarize the current state of the literature relating to psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, introduce how clinical interventions based on Contextual Behavioral Science could be used in psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, and present new and innovative contributions from the Contextual Behavioral Science that can inform future research on psychedelics.  Read more about this JCBS special issue here. 

The evidence base of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in psychosis: A systematic review

In JCBS Vol. 10, Sarah Wakefield, Stephanie Roebuck, and Paul Boyden explore the evidence base for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for people experiencing psychosis, the quality of the evidence, and potential benefits of this intervention. The paper concludes ACT is a beneficial intervention for psychosis in various mental health settings.  ACBS members can read it for free in the JCBS member portal.

Michael J. Asher Student Dissertation Award

We are pleased to announce the winner of the Michael J. Asher Student Dissertation Award: Madeleine Ferrari, University of Sydney, Australia, for her dissertation Self-compassion: Promoting resilience and well-being in adolescent populations. The Michael J. Asher Student Dissertation Award award is given to a student based on their doctoral dissertation related to the use of Contextual Behavioral Science with children/adolescents.

Student Spotlight Award

In conjunction with the ACBS Student SIG, it is our pleasure to introduce the most recent Student Spotlight Award recipients! This month's featured students are Ethan Lester, an intern at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, USA, and Lauren B. Johnson, a third-year clinical psychology Ph.D. student at Drexel University, USA. You can learn about Ethan and Lauren on the ACBS website.

World Conference 17: Dublin, Ireland

Join us at the DCU Helix in Dublin, Ireland, for the 17th World Conference of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) 27-30 June, 2019. Pre-Conference Workshops will be held 25-26 June, 2019. Registration is open. Early Registration Rates available until 7 April.

Pre-Conference Workshop: ACT Made Simple: A Quick Start Guide To ACT Basics and Beyond

Russ Harris will be presenting the pre-conference workshop ACT Made Simple: A Quick Start Guide To ACT Basics and Beyond on Tuesday 25 June and Wednesday 26 June. Russ has a unique model for training, which he calls ‘ACT Made Simple’, because it covers so much material in a short space of time. He proudly proclaims each workshop a ‘jargon-free zone’ – and bases his training on three core values: simplicity, clarity, and having fun.

ACBS Board of Directors for 2019 - 2020

It is our great pleasure to announce the 2019 - 2020 ACBS Board of Directors: President Dennis Tirch; President-Elect Lisa Coyne; Past-President Louise Hayes; Secretary-Treasurer Maria Karekla; Members-at-Large Miranda Morris, Diana Ferroni Bast, Lance McCracken, and Jill Stoddard; Student Representative Varsha Eswara Murthy.

Free Webinar on “Working with Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity" by Matthew Skinta

This free, 60 minute webinar will be offered by the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee on Monday, April 29th at 1:00 pm EST. Click here to register for the webinar. There is a suggested donation of: $10 for students and $20 for professionals. All donations will be used to support the participation in ACBS activities of individuals who can demonstrate financial hardship. The webinar will also be available on the ACBS website after April 29.

ACBS Strategic Plan: 2019 - 2022

The ACBS Board of Director's strategic planning meeting was held 2-3 February, 2019. Based off of ACBS member focus group data and one-on-one interviews, a picture of the current state of the organization came into focus. The Board identified three main strategic imperatives: 1) Expanding and improving our digital presence 2) Centering science 3) Creating a culture of empowerment and productivity. Read more about it on the ACBS website.

A review of anger, hostility, and aggression from an ACT perspective

In JCBS Vol. 11, Olga V. Berkout, Diana Tinsley, and Maureen K. Flynn provide the first overview of research about anger, hostility, and aggression using the psychological flexibility model among both youth and adults. The paper concludes that ACT interventions for anger and aggression appear promising and that more extensive and methodologically stronger examinations would strengthen this area of study. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

CBS research supports raising the minimum age to buy cigarettes in the state of Washington

ACBS Board Member Jonathan Bricker, a researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, testified before the Washington state legislature in support of raising the minimum age for buying cigarettes and vaping products to 21 years old. On April 5, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed the state’s “Tobacco 21” law in a ceremony at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Thank you to all of the ACBS members across the world who use CBS to improve public health!

Student Spotlight Award

In conjunction with the ACBS Student SIG, it is our pleasure to introduce the most recent Student Spotlight Award recipient! This month's featured student is Sérgio Andrade Carvalho, a third year Ph.D. student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Coimbra (Portugal). You can learn about Sergio on the ACBS website.

World Conference 17: Dublin, Ireland

Join us at the DCU Helix in Dublin, Ireland, for the 17th World Conference of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) 27-30 June, 2019. Pre-Conference Workshops will be held 25-26 June, 2019. Regular Registration rates are available until 17 May.

Pre-Conference Workshop: Prosocial: Using CBS to improve relations within and between groups

Paul Atkins, David Sloan Wilson, Monique Silva, Lori Wiser, and Ian MacDonald will be presenting the pre-conference workshop Prosocial: Using CBS to improve relations within and between groups on Tuesday 25 June and Wednesday 26 June. This workshop will provide you with an introduction to Prosocial, the basic science that underpins the approach and the practical tools that you can use to improve the groups you care about.

Developing Nations Committee Scholars

Congratulations to the 2019 Developing Nations Scholars: Khamisi Musanje (Uganda); Gabriel Sebastion Lizada (Philippines); Meryem Laamouri (Morocco); and Dario Lipovac (Bosnia/Herzegovina). The Developing Nations Committee provides scholarships to attend the ACBS World Conference to ACBS members who are from emerging economy countries and who would not be able to attend without this added financial support.

Women in ACBS SIG Scholar

Congratulations to the 2019 Women in ACBS SIG Scholar: Burcak Kapar (Turkey). Kapar graduated from the department of Psychology at Yeditepe University in İstanbul and is currently enrolled in a Masters of Clinical Psychology program at SWPS University in Poland. The Women in ACBS SIG provides a scholarship to attend the ACBS World Conference to an ACBS member with significant financial hardship.

Congratulations to the new ACBS Fellows

ACBS is pleased to announce our 2019 class of Fellows: Kenneth Fung, M.D. (Canada), Maria Karekla, Ph.D. (Cyprus), Michael Levin, Ph.D. (USA), Darrah Westrup, Ph.D. (USA), and Patricia Zurita Ona, Psy.D. (USA) Congratulations and thank you for your contributions to contextual behavioral science and to the ACBS community.

2019 Diversity World Conference Scholars

Congratulations to the 2019 Diversity World Conference Scholars: Lais Nicolodi (Brazil), Taslim Tharani (UK), and Jan Topczewski (Poland). The DEI Committee provides scholarships to attend the ACBS World Conference to members who are from varied backgrounds and who would not be able to attend without this financial support. The scholarships are financed by donations from ACBS members. To donate, please visit the DEI Fund page.

JCBS Special Issue on ACT Process Measurement

In the JCBS Vol. 12, Maria Karekla and Nuno Ferreira guest edit the Special Issue on ACT Process Measurement. The Special Issue contains 16 articles covering several ACT measures including the acceptance and action questionnaire for university students (AAQ-US), Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ), Open and Engaged State Questionnaire, and other measures. ACBS members can read the special issue for free in the JCBS member portal.

World Conference 17: Research Mentoring Lunch

We are happy to announce an ACBS Research Mentoring Lunch will be held on Thursday, 27 June at the upcoming ACBS World Conference in Dublin, Ireland! This lunch session is for early career researchers to have the opportunity to meet established researchers whose interests may align with theirs. All conference attendee researchers are welcome - no prior sign-up required.

World Conference 17 Plenary Speaker: Janet Helms

Janet Helms, Ph.D., is the Augustus Long Professor in the Department of Counseling, Developmental, and Educational Psychology and Director of the Institute for the Study and Promotion of Race and Culture at Boston College. Janet Helms will give her plenary address The Power Dynamics of White Racial Identity in Social Interactions at the ACBS World Conference in Dublin on Friday, 28 June.

New Hong Kong Chapter

We are excited to announce the newest ACBS Chapter, the Hong Kong Chapter! The ACBS-HK Chapter aims to serve as a scientific and professional reference group for those in Hong Kong who identify themselves as scientists, students, or practitioners in disciplines that embrace the principles and practices of contextual behavioral science. ACBS members can join the Hong Kong Chapter and learn more about the chapter on the ACBS website.

2019 Student World Conference Scholars

Congratulations to the 2019 Student World Conference Scholars: Kate Barrett, University College Dublin (Ireland), Catriona Connelly, University College Dublin (Ireland), Lauren Johnson, Drexel University (USA), Stephen Richer, Bournemouth University (UK), and  Eric Tifft, University at Albany, SUNY (USA). The ACBS Student SIG provides scholarships that help subsidize the costs of attending the annual ACBS World Conference.

New ACBS Foundation

We are excited to announce the creation of a non-profit charitable foundation dedicated to contextual behavioral science and the shared mission of ACBS. The ACBS Foundation will support existing activities within ACBS and explore areas for future development, through scholarships, grants, foundation-managed programs, or special projects. You can find more information and donate to the foundation on the ACBS website.

JCBS Journal Impact Factor

The Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science (JCBS) received its second Journal Impact Factor in the 2019 release of the Journal Citations Report: 1.890! A 55% increase from our first Impact Factor of 1.216. This indicates that articles published by JCBS in 2016 and 2017 were cited an average of 1.8 times in 2018. Read more about the JCBS' Journal Impact Factor on the ACBS website.

The effect of brief mindfulness training on momentary impulsivity

In JCBS Vol. 11, Mark R. Dixon, Dana Paliliunas, Jordan Belisle, Ryan C. Speelman, Karl F. Gunnarsson, and Jordan L. Shaffer propose a contextual model of delay discounting. The paper concludes impulsivity is altered when exposed to mindfulness training and that these results have implications for applying mindfulness-based strategies that can reduce the probability of impulsive choice behavior. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

New Psychodynamic and CBS SIG

We are pleased to announce the newest ACBS Special Interest Group (SIG), the Psychodynamic and CBS SIG! The new Psychodynamic and CBS SIG includes all models of CBS and therapy, and all models of psychoanalytic and psychodynamic research and therapy, and as such, includes a broad and diverse range of therapeutic approaches. ACBS members can join the SIG and learn more about the new SIG on its webpage.

Three New Listservs for Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

ACBS recently created new listservs for three Special Interest Groups (SIGs): Social Work and ACT SIG, ACT in Primary Care SIG, and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion SIG. Most SIGs have a dedicated listserv for ACBS members to share information that might be of interest to the other SIG members. We encourage you to stay connected with your colleagues by joining a SIG listserv today. You can see the full list of ACBS listservs on our website.

Early Career Research Paper Award

The Early Career Research Paper Award program recognizes a rising star researcher presenting a study at the ACBS World Conference. This year’s winner was Felicity Brown, Ph.D., MPsychClin. She contributed to an RCT (in partnership with HealthRight, Johns Hopkins University, the Ministry of Health Uganda, WHO, and UNHCR) to measure the effectiveness of an ACT-Based Guided Self-Help Intervention for South Sudanese Refugee Women in Uganda.

2020 ACBS World Conference: New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
July 14 - 19, 2020
Register your interest in the 2020 ACBS World Conference here.

ACBS Foundation Matching Gift Opportunity

We are pleased to announce that all donations made to the ACBS Foundation before August 31, 2019, will be matched by the Aaron S. Luoma Fund for Global Equity up to $5,000 USD! You can find more information about the ACBS Foundation and the Luoma Fund on the ACBS website.

Volunteer for the ACBS Strategic Plan's "Strategy Team"

The Board identified four main strategic imperatives for the ACBS Strategic Plan 2019 - 2022 1) Expanding and improving our digital presence 2) Centering science 3) Creating a culture of empowerment and productivity 4) Building a culture of competency to support effective dissemination in ACBS. If you are interested in helping ACBS achieve our strategic goals, then please consider volunteering for the "Strategy Team."

The ACBS Grant Committee Needs Your Help

ACBS provides two $5,000 Research Development Grants for research that advances the field of CBS. The ACBS Grant Committee is looking for volunteers for the current grant cycle to help select the grant recipients. Each grant application will be reviewed by two reviewers, and the review of each application takes approximately 45 minutes. If you are available to be a grant reviewer during October 2019, then we encourage you to fill out a quick, 2-minute webform.

ACT for Sleep - Internet-delivered self-help ACT for sub-clinical and clinical insomnia: A randomized controlled trial

In JCBS Vol. 12, Päivi Lappalainen, Sitwat Langrial, Harri Oinas-Kukkonen, Joona Muotka, and Raimo Lappalainen investigates the effects of a self-help ACT-based web-intervention for sleep disturbances. The paper concludes that unguided Internet-delivered ACT can be effective in treating symptoms of insomnia and offers a useful addition to existing treatment options. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

World Conference 17 Reflections

ACBS Student Representative Varsha Eswara Murthy expounds on her experiences at the ACBS World Conference which was held on her home ground of Dublin. In her blog, Varsha relates the highlights of her time at the conference, including Kelly Wilson’s pre-conference workshop, Janet Helms’ plenary speech, the poster session at St. Patrick's Cathedral, the numerous panels and symposia, Louise Hayes' plenary speech, and the Follies.

Thank You to the World Conference 17 Program Committee

Thank you to the World Conference 17 Program Committee Chairs, Louise McHugh and David Gillanders, and the dozens of people who volunteered for the Program Committee. Their hard work and meticulous planning made ACBS World Conference 17 an outstanding event!

2020 ACBS World Conference: New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
July 14 - 19, 2020
Register your interest in the 2020 ACBS World Conference here.

Renew Your Membership in ACBS Today!

Grants Application Deadline: October 1, 2019

Are you a researcher or student searching for a funding source for a contextual behavioral science-related project? ACBS provides two Research Development Grants, up to $5,000 USD, for research that advances the field of contextual behavioral science. Projects eligible for the grant are relatively broad, as any topic within the array of CBS will be considered. The deadline to apply is October 1.

Nominations for JCBS's next editor open until October 15

The new JCBS Editor will have wide latitude to phase in an editorial team and to structure its interaction. The Editor is expected to commission special issues and to solicit key articles; to work to increase the impact of the journal; and to monitor and improved the speed, efficiency, and helpfulness of the review process. If this sounds like the perfect fit for you or someone you know, please learn more here.

New India Chapter

We are excited to announce the newest ACBS Chapter, the India Chapter! The ACBS India Chapter aims to disseminate ACT, RFT, and CBS literature to professionals and the general public in India. ACBS members can join the India Chapter and learn more about the new chapter on the ACBS website.

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy for ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) – A feasibility study

In JCBS Vol. 12, Martin A.Jonsjö, Rikard K. Wicksell, Linda Holmström, Anna Andreasson, and Gunnar L. Olsson present a preliminary evaluation of the feasibility of an ACT-based behavior medicine treatment protocol for ME/CFS. The paper concludes ACT can be considered safe and preliminary effective. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

New ACBS Foundation - Matching Campaign Concluding

We are pleased to announce that all donations made to the ACBS Foundation before August 31, 2019, will be matched by the Aaron S. Luoma Fund for Global Equity up to $5,000 USD! You can find more information about the ACBS Foundation and the Luoma Fund on the ACBS website.

2020 ACBS World Conference: New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
July 14 - 19, 2020
Register your interest in the 2020 ACBS World Conference here.

Renew Your Membership in ACBS Today!

ACT Exceeds 300 RCTs!

The 300 Randomized Controlled Trial milestone represents the culmination of more than 30 years of ACT research from this community. The ACBS Communication Committee maintains the list of RCTs on the ACT Randomized Controlled Trials webpage. It is a great resource with information about each study's trial area, trial conditions, sample size, and link to the full text of the study.

How We Can Use CBS to Help Humanity

In her plenary speech presented at the 2019 ACBS World Conference, Louise Hayes describes how we might use contextual behavioural science in our own lives, in our work, in our communities, and in our efforts to change the world. We invite you to look through the videos we have available on our website, which includes lectures from previous World Conferences, workshops, TED talks, and more!

Nominations for JCBS's next editor open until October 15

The new JCBS Editor will have wide latitude to phase in an editorial team and to structure its interaction. The Editor is expected to commission special issues and to solicit key articles; to work to increase the impact of the journal; and to monitor and improve the speed, efficiency, and helpfulness of the review process. If this sounds like the perfect fit for someone you know, please click here to learn more.

ACBS Research Development Grant: Application Deadline October 1, 2019

Are you a researcher or student searching for a funding source for a contextual behavioral science-related project? ACBS provides two Research Development Grants, up to $5,000 USD, for research that advances the field of contextual behavioral science. Projects eligible for the grant are relatively broad, as any topic within the array of CBS will be considered. The deadline to apply is October 1.

New Hawai'i Chapter

We are excited to announce the newest ACBS Chapter, the Hawai'i Chapter! The ACBS Hawai'i Chapter aims to advance the development of contextual behavioral science, and to create an impact within Hawai’i in an effort to alleviate human suffering and advance human well-being. ACBS members can join the Hawai'i Chapter and learn more about the new chapter on the ACBS website.

Patterns of relational responding and a healthy self in older adolescents

In JCBS Vol. 12, Orla Moran and Louise McHugh examine the relative contribution of self-as-distinction and self-as-hierarchy on depression, stress, and anxiety in a sample of 102 young people. The paper concludes higher self-as-hierarchy significantly predicts lower depression and stress. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

ACBS Foundation Update: We Did It!

Thank you to everyone who donated to the ACBS Foundation this summer. We are thrilled to announce that the ACBS Foundation successfully met the challenge to raise $5,000 by August 31st! The challenge stemmed from a matching gift challenge from the Aaron S. Luoma Fund for Global Equity. You can find more information about the ACBS Foundation and the Luoma Fund here.

2020 ACBS World Conference: New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
July 14 - 19, 2020
Register your interest in the 2020 ACBS World Conference here.

Renew Your Membership in ACBS Today!

New ACBS Committee Chairs

We are pleased to announce new Committee Chairs! Publications Committee: Rhonda Merwin; Developing Nations Committee: Sindhushri BS and Claudette Foley; Program Committee: Jennifer Gregg & Matt Boone; Awards Committee: Staci Martin;  See the full list of committees here. If you are interested in volunteering for a committee, please fill out this form.

New Video: An Experiential Introduction to Relational Frame Theory

The ACBS video collection has grown to 111 titles! We recommend you view the video of Ryan Sharma's workshop "An Experiential Introduction to Relational Frame Theory" presented at the 2018 World Conference. This interactive presentation allows attendees to learn RFT by participating in replicated match-to-sample studies, thought experiments, and guided imagery. (You need to login to your ACBS account to view the full collection of vid eos).

New ACT for Health Special Interest Group Listserv

ACBS recently created a new listserv for the ACT for Health Special Interest Group (SIG). We encourage ACT for Health SIG members to stay connected with your colleagues by joining the new SIG listserv today. Most SIGs have a dedicated listserv for ACBS members to share information that might be of interest to the other SIG members. You can see the full list of ACBS listservs on our website.

Psychological flexibility-based interventions versus first-line psychosocial interventions for substance use disorders: Systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials

In JCBS Vol. 13, Toshitaka Ii, Hirofumi Sato, Norio Watanabe, Masaki Kondo, Akihiko Masuda, Steven C. Hayes, and Tatsuo Akechi examine 10 RCTs of Psychological flexibility (PF)-based interventions for substance use. The paper concludes PF interventions showed more substance discontinuation than first-line treatments.  ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

Internships and Postdoctoral Fellowships

Does your employer have an internship or postdoctoral fellowship that would be relevant to students interested in CBS? We would love to post it on the ACBS website. Please email your internship/fellowship information to community@contextualscience.org. (If your employer already has a posting on our website, this is a great opportunity to make sure the information is still current.  Email any updates to us.)

Student Spotlight Award

In conjunction with the ACBS Student Special Interest Group (SIG), it is our pleasure to introduce the most recent Student Spotlight Award recipient! This month's featured student is Joshua Schultz, a fourth year graduate student at Widener University's Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology (USA). You can learn about Joshua Schultz on the ACBS website.

Student Spotlight Award: Application Deadline November 28, 2019

The Student Spotlight Program highlights students who are doing important work in the CBS community, whether for research, clinical, or volunteer-humanitarian efforts. This program is a great way to highlight their achievements and let the ACBS community know about important work students are doing. The spotlighted students will receive a 30% discount off the ACBS World Conference student registration fee. The application deadline is November 28.

2020 ACBS World Conference: New Orleans

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
July 14 - 19, 2020
Register your interest in the 2020 ACBS World Conference here.

Renew Your Membership in ACBS Today!

ACBS World Conference - Call for Submissions Is Open!

We are excited to invite you to join us in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA for the Annual World Conference of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) July 14-19, 2020. We are accepting submissions for symposia, papers, panels, workshops, ignites sessions, posters, and Chapter/SIG meetings. Please click here for more information about the Call for Submissions.

The ACBS Foundation – A Year in Review

It has been almost one year since the ACBS Foundation was established and its work began. Highlights include  the Foundation receiving designation as a non-profit organization in the United States and the creation of the Aaron S. Luoma Fund, which aims to advance global health, reduce global disparities, and promote global equity. You can read more about the ACBS Foundation's first year here.

Compassion Focused Therapy for anger: A pilot study of a group intervention for veterans with PTSD

In JCBS Vol. 13, Jed Grodin, Joshua L. Clark, Russell Kolts, and Travis I. Lovejoy examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a manualized 12-session group CFT protocol. The paper's findings indicate that CFT shows promise for reducing anger, decreasing fears of compassion, and decreasing PTSD symptom severity.  ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

New Argentina Chapter

We are excited to announce the newest ACBS Chapter, the Argentina Chapter! The ACBS Argentina Chapter aims to facilitate the development and dissemination of CBS in Argentina and to build a collaborative community of practitioners, researchers and students in the country. ACBS members can join the Argentina Chapter and learn more about the new chapter on the ACBS website.

Michael J. Asher Student Dissertation Awards: Deadline February 1, 2020

The Awards Committee is now accepting applications for the Michael J. Asher Student Dissertation Awards. These awards will be given to two students based on their doctoral dissertation proposal related to the use of CBS with children/adolescents. Accompanying this honor will be monetary awards of $750 USD (first place) and $250 USD (second place) to be used in support of research and/or to facilitate travel to the ACBS annual conference.

Student Spotlight Award: Application Deadline November 28, 2019

The Student Spotlight Program highlights students who are doing important work in the CBS community, whether for research, clinical, or volunteer-humanitarian efforts. This program is a great way to highlight their achievements and let the ACBS community know about important work students are doing. The spotlighted students will receive a 30% discount off the ACBS World Conference student registration fee. The application deadline is November 28.

ACBS World Conference Scholarships

ACBS World Conference Scholarships are now open:
- Developing Nations Conference Scholars - Deadline is February 1, 2020
- Diversity Conference Scholars - Deadline is February 1, 2020
- Student Conference Scholars - Deadline is February 15, 2020

Renew Your Membership in ACBS Today!

ACBS Research Development Grants

Congratulations to Jessica Kingston, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK and to Clarissa Ong, Utah State University, USA for being awarded the 2019 - 2020 ACBS Research Development Grants. Read more about their projects on the ACBS website.

Thank You to the Grants Committee

ACBS committees are staffed entirely by volunteers. We want to thank Grants Committee Chair Megan Kelly and her committee members for the outstanding work they do. ACBS received 39 grant applications this year and the committee managed the process with excellence.

Psychological inflexibility mediates the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and mental health outcomes

In JCBS Vol. 14, Helen Makriyianis, Emily Adams, Leslie Lozano, Taylor Mooney, Chloe Morton, and Miriam Liss investigated psychological flexibility and inflexibility as possible mediators in the relationship between ACEs and depression and anxiety. The paper found Self as Content and Inaction mediated for depression and anxiety. ACBS members can read the paper for free in the JCBS member portal.

ACBS World Conference 17 Audio Recordings Are Now Available

The audio recordings from ACBS World Conference 17 are now available on the ACBS website. You can listen to a variety of recorded symposia, panel discussions, and lectures that were presented at the June 2019 conference in Dublin, Ireland. (While you are on the ACBS website, ACBS members can also listen to other great sessions from the past decade of ACBS World Conferences.)

Michael J. Asher Student Dissertation Awards: Application Deadline February 1, 2020

The Awards Committee is accepting applications for the Asher Student Dissertation Awards, which will be given to two students based on their doctoral dissertation proposal related to the use of CBS with children/adolescents. Accompanying this honor will be monetary awards of $750 USD (first place) and $250 USD (second place) to be used in support of research or to travel to the ACBS World Conference.

ACBS World Conference: RFT and Behavior Analysis Track Call for Submissions

We are excited to invite you to join us in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA for the Annual World Conference of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) July 14-19, 2020. The RFT and Behavior Analysis track is accepting submissions for symposia, papers, panels, and workshops. Please click here for more information about the Call for Submissions.

ACBS World Conference: Scholarship Application Deadlines

ACBS World Conference Scholarships are now open:
- Developing Nations Conference Scholars - application deadline is February 1, 2020
- Diversity Conference Scholars - application deadline is February 1, 2020
- Student Conference Scholars - application deadline is February 15, 2020

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