ACBS is proud to share our new and longstanding efforts to be a more inclusive, equitable, and diverse international organization. If you would be interested in getting involved and volunteering please let us know here and we'll get you connected.

DEI Committee

This committee shall develop strategies to promote diversity within the association, as well as to disseminate Contextual Behavioral Science to diverse populations. This committee is charged with considering diversity at all levels of ACBS. For example, this committee shall serve to support diversity with regard to both basic and applied science, as well as to promote conventional demographic diversity. To join us and volunteer, please go here.

JEDI project

Some of our goals with this project are to: Identify and redress existing policies or procedures in the organization that may disproportionately marginalize or negatively impact individual or collective membership, particularly sexual and gender diverse groups, racial/ethnic minority groups and members from developing nations. Increase pathways to support more diverse representation in leadership positions including committee, chapter, and SIG leadership positions.; Increase and diversify efforts to support the recruitment, retention, and active participation of a diverse membership.; Promote a spirit of inclusion and belonging within the organization, where all members feel encouraged and empowered to honor and celebrate cultural differences.; Identify specific issues/initiatives that members feel motivated and interested in leading, on a voluntary basis. Learn more here and get involved.

JCBS

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Pledge 

Recent JCBS articles

• Assessing the functions of Japanese words for self using the implicit relational assessment procedure
• Ways of responding to body image threats: Development of the Body Image Flexibility and Inflexibility Scale for youth
• The role of psychological flexibility and socioeconomic status in adolescent identity development
• A systematic review of inclusion of minoritized populations in randomized controlled trials of acceptance and commitment therapy
• Racial microaggressions and trauma symptoms in a black American sample: The moderating role of self-compassion

WHO project

The World Health Organization (WHO) decided around 2015 to test ACT as a fully scalable psychological intervention. Dr. Mark van Ommeren, head of Mental Health, was looking for a radically transdiagnostic approach that could help with the wide variety of mental and behavioral consequences of war. The breadth of outcomes across different problems areas world wide for ACT attracted his attention. Go here to read more.

Multilingual content

• Educational content in multiple languages
• Videos - more that 40 videos available (audio or subtitles) in Spanish
• Metaphors in languages other than English
• Assessment measures in more than 45 languages

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion SIG

• Learn more and join the DEI SIG.
• Video highlight (DEI SIG Webinar): When Cherished Cultural Memories Become Unintended Casualties: Using ACT & RFT to Transform Pain Back Into Purpose
• Video highlight (DEI SIG Webinar): Applying the Social Determinants of Health to ACT for African Americans
• Video highlight (DEI SIG Webinar): Watching out for Self-Righteousness Within: A CBS Account of Diversity and the Promotion of Diversity
• Video highlight (DEI SIG Webinar): Decolonising Drug Studies: Victorian Aboriginal Women's Narratives on Healing, Drug use and Drug recovery
• Video highlight (DEI SIG Webinar): Working with Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity
• Video highlight (DEI SIG Webinar): Context for Decolonization: Historical, Philosophical, and Theoretical Underpinnings

Women in ACBS SIG

• Learn more and join the Women in ACBS SIG.
• Video highlight (Women in ACBS SIG Webinar): The Balancing ‘ACT’ in Parenting Acceptance, Commitment, and the Illusion of Work-Life Balance
• Video highlight (Women in ACBS SIG Webinar): Women and Burnout: Coming Together to Connect and Recharge
• Video highlight (Women in ACBS SIG Webinar): Resilience in ACTion: Fostering Black Women's Healing from Racialized Trauma

Gender and Sexual Diversity SIG

• Learn more and join the Gender and Sexual Diversity SIG.
• Knowledge is power: Top Five Things to Say (or not) to Transgender People by lore dickey

ACT and the Christian Client SIG

• Learn more and join the ACT and the Christian Client SIG
• Article: Suicide prevention training for Christian faith-based organizations using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: a pilot controlled trial of The HOLLY Program

ACT and Judiasm SIG

• Learn more and join the ACT and Judiasm SIG

Asian Culture and CBS SIG

• Learn more and join the Asian Culture and CBS SIG.
• Video highlight (Asian Culture and CBS SIG Webinar): Working with Asian Clients Using ACT
• Video highlight (Asian Culture and CBS SIG Webinar): Cultural Difference in the Understanding of Experiential Avoidance between Chinese and Western People

Video resources (examples)

• ACBS World Conference session: Providing Culturally-Appropriate ACT: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion SIG Sponsored
• CBS SuperLab Webinar: Translational Applications of Relational Density: Gender and Racial Prejudice
• SIG event: DEI in ACTion: Lessons learned (and learning) from the NYC-ACBS Chapter
• CBS SuperLab Webinar: ACT-based Approaches to Preventing and Treating Relationship Violence
• ACBS World Conference session: ACT-ing Queer: The Psychological Flexibility Model as a navigational framework for LGBTQ-identified clinicians
• ACBS World Conference session: Experiences of Stigma, Stress, and Stereotypes across Marginalized Populations

Values-Based Dues

Since the beginning of ACBS, we have had Values-Based Dues.  We are one of the only major societies doing this experiment and so far is is working. Members may choose how much they are willing to pay for your membership, based on ability to pay and honest assessment of how much this community and website fits with your goals and values. ACBS does not want inability to pay to be a barrier to learning and connecting about CBS.  Go here to learn more.

LMIC membership scholarships

ACBS is committed to outreach to scholars, practitioners, researchers and other professionals who have a strong interest in ACT, RFT, and Contextual Behavioral Science and who have difficulty affording full membership in the organization. Go here to learn more or apply.

DEI Scholarships

The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee is aiming to bring increased diversity to our annual conferences by providing funds for individuals who come from diverse backgrounds and who would not be able to attend an ACBS conference without this added financial support. Awarded annually since 2015. Learn more.

Diversity Award

This Diversity Award will be given to one qualifying ACBS member each year who disseminates CBS work aimed at advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Specifically, the award focuses on dissemination of work across categories including gender, race, ethnicity, language, income, sexual/gender identity, religion, neurodiversity, and disability. This work can be disseminated through research publications, teaching, clinical work, and/or community service. Go here to learn more or apply.

Chapter/SIG Awards

An award serving Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion goals is given to one Chapter and one SIG to enhance collaboration and/or connections amongst ACBS members. Learn more.

ACBS Foundation Luoma Fund

The Aaron S. Luoma Fund aims to advance global health, reduce global disparities, and promote global equity. Go here to learn more and donate. Go here to apply.

ACBS Inclusive Science Grant

The new Inclusive Science Grant is intended to promote and support ACBS researchers in developing high quality pilot data that will form the foundation for future competitive grant proposals underpinned by inclusivity, broadly defined. More specifically, this grant focuses on facilitating the early pilot stage of potentially grant-fundable research emphasizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and/or interdisciplinary focus. Go here to learn more and apply.

Student opportunities

• Join the ACBS Student SIG and get connected.
• Check here for student specific awards, scholarships, and funding opportunities.

ACBS Board of Directors Elections

ACBS values diversity in all of it's forms on our Board to best represent our community. Go here to learn more about our elections.

Board statement on "Conversion" therapy

The ACBS Board resolutely denounces the use of so-called “conversion therapy”, which involves the use of coercive practices associated with sexual orientation and gender identity that use shame, punishment, or other abusive strategies. Go here to read more.

Board statement on use of CESS

The board members of ACBS wish to state that we are unequivocally opposed to the use of contingent electric skin shock (CESS), in the treatment of challenging behaviors or under any circumstances. We believe in a compassionate science, one that employs evidence based practices to help individuals reach their full potential. Go here to read the full statement.

ACBS Endorsement of IPsyNet Statement and Commitment

IPsyNet statement provides a unified call to affirm human rights and end discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people around the world. Go here to learn more.

DN scholarships

ACBS is an international society but in many corners of the world it is difficult for professionals to attend ACBS conferences and trainings due simply to cost. The Developing Nations Fund helps disseminate CBS in the developing world and provides scholarships for attendees from developing nations to attend the world conference. We know that our members from diverse backgrounds contribute depth and richness to the organization and this program will lead to a better ACBS for all of us. Go here to learn more and apply.

ACT for ALL Project

ACT for ALL is an ongoing effort to develop and share online resources for professionals from diverse nations to learn about ACT and to learn about adapting its application for various cultural contexts. With the support of the ACBS Developing Nations Committee and the Training Committee, ACT for ALL resources are developed through collaborations between volunteer peer reviewed ACT trainers (PRTs) and valued professionals from low and middle income countries (LAMIC). Go here to learn more.

LMIC/LAMIC Resources page

ACBS volunteers from LMIC nations have currated a list of available resources specificially with LMIC students, professionals, and researchers in mind. Go here to learn more.

Please note, opening and closing dates of different programs/projects vary by program.