Lee, E. B., An, W., Levin, M. E., & Twohig, M. P. (2015). An initial meta-analysis of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for treating substance use disorders. Drug & Alcohol Dependence, 155, 1-7.
Background
In the past decade, multiple studies have examined the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for substance use disorders relative to other active treatments. The current meta-analysis examined the aggregate effect size when comparing ACT to other treatments (e.g., CBT, pharmacotherapy, 12-step, treatment as usual) specifically on substance use outcomes.
Method
A total of 10 randomized controlled trials were identified through systematic searches.
Results
A significant small to medium effect size was found favoring ACT relative to active treatment comparisons following treatment. Effect sizes were comparable across studies for smoking cessation (kâ
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5) and for other drug use disorders (kâ
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5).
Conclusions
Based on these findings, ACT appears to be a promising intervention for substance use disorders. Limitations and future directions are discussed.