Empirical Studies

Empirical Studies

This page was last updated in 2014. For up-to-date information, go to the ACT Randomized Controlled Trials page, the State of the ACT Evidence page, and the Publications section.

The subsections divide the empirical ACT literature into several categories. If you have a study that should be added you can upload the actual publication into the publications section (login to your member account then go here to add a publication to the site).

You can't add the reference to the publication here directly, you have to email that information to the site editor and we will add it ... but if the publication itself is already uploaded we can link the reference here to that file so that people can find it and download it.

You can find outcome studies (Randomized Controlled Trials, RCTs) here.

Steven Hayes

Case Studies

Case Studies

 

Case Studies by Year (Controlled Time Series Studies are covered in the RCT page)

In Press

  • Twohig, M. P. (In Press). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Study.Cognitive and Behavioral Practice.

2008

2007

  • Kleen, M., & Jaspers, J. P. C. (2007). Women should not be allowed to run. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) with a pain disorder. Translated from: Vrouwen horen niet hard te lopen. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) bij een pijnstoornis. Gedragstherapie, 40, 7-26.

2006

  • García-Montes, J.M., Pérez-Álvarez, M. & Cangas-Díaz, A. (2006). Aproximación al abordaje clínico de los síntomas psicóticos desde la Aceptación. = Approaching clinical intervention for psychotic symptoms from an acceptance perspective . Apuntes de Psicología, 24(1-3), 293-307.
  • Ruiz-Jiménez, F. J. (2006). Aplicación de la Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso (ACT) Para el Incremento del Rendimiento Ajedrecí¬stico. Un Estudio de Caso [Application of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to Improve Chess-players Performance. A Case Study.International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 6, 77-97.

2005

  • Batten, S. V., & Hayes, S. C. (2005). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in the Treatment of Comorbid Substance Abuse and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Study. Clinical Case Studies, 4(3), 246-262.
    Case study. Shows improvement with a dually diagnosed patient.
  • Olivencia, J. J., & Díaz, A. J. C. (2005). Tratamiento psicológico del trastorno esquizotípico de la personalidad. Un estudio de caso. (Psychological treatment of schizotypal personality disorder. A case study). Psicothema, 17, 412-417.
    A case study that examines a combination of ACT and FAP in the successful treatment of a case of Schizotypal Personality Disorder.
  • Orsillo SM, Batten SV. (2005). Acceptance and commitment therapy in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. Behavior Modification, 29, 95-129.
    Discussion article and case study showing how to apply ACT to the treatment of PTSD.
  • Wicksell, R. K., Dahl, J., Magnusson, B., & Olsson, G. L. (2005). Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in the rehabilitation of an adolescent female with chronic pain: A case example. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 12, 415-423. Shows dramatic improvement with a 14 year old chronic pain patient using a values focused ACT protocol.

2004

  • Gardner, F. L. & Moore, Z.E. (2004). A mindfulness-acceptance-commitment based approach to athletic performance enhancement: Theoretical considerations. Behavior Therapy, 35, 707-724.
    Case study. An ACT protocol with an emphasis on mindfulness helps with sports outcomes.

2003

  • Heffner, M., Eifert, G. H., Parker, B. T., Hernandez, D. H. and Sperry, J. A. (2003). Valued directions: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in the treatment of alcohol dependence. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 10, 378-38.
    This case study describes a heavily values focused ACT treatment of a case of alcohol dependence within an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy model. Identifying valued directions seemed to help the client achieve sobriety and put a plan into action to "start living."
  • Montesinos, F. (2003). ACT, sexual desire orientation and erectile dysfunction. A case study. Analisis y Modificación de Conducta, 29, 291-320.
    A successful application of ACT to a 30-year-old male with difficulties in accepting his bisexual orientation and with an erectile dysfunction is presented.
  • Pankey, J. & Hayes, S. C. (2003). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for psychosis. International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 3, 311-328.
    Case study with a retarded psychotic person experiencing command hallucinations and multiple delusions. Believability drops dramatically over treatment but not frequency. Good functional improvement.

2002

  • Heffner, M., Sperry, J., Eifert, G. H. & Detweiler, M. (2002). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in the treatment of an adolescent female with anorexia nervosa: A case example. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 9, 232-236.
    Describes the use of ACT in anorexia and shows resulting data. Case study. The case study is followed by discussion articles:
    • Wilson, K. G. & Roberts, M. (2002). Core principles in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An application to anorexia. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 9, 237-243.
    • Hayes, S. C. & Pankey, J. (2002). Experiential avoidance, cognitive fusion, and an ACT approach to anorexia nervosa. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 9, 243-247.
    • Orsillo, S. M. & Batten, S. J. (2002). ACT as treatment of a disorder of excessive control: Anorexia. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 9, 253-259.
    • There is also a cognitive paper that is nominally a response to the case, but it mentions ACT only in passing, focusing instead on the traditional CBT model.
  • López, S. & Arco, J.L. (2002). ACT como alternativa terapéutica a pacientes que no responden a tratamientos tradicionales: un estudio de caso [ACT as an alternative for patients that do not respond to traditional treatments: A case study]. Análisis y Modificación de Conducta, 120, 585-616.
    Presents data on ACT with a patient who failed a course of cognitive therapy.

2001

  • García, J.M. & Pérez, M. (2001). ACT as a treatment for psychotic symptoms. The case of auditory hallucinations. Análisis y Modificación de Conducta, 27, 113, 455-472.
    Describes the use of ACT in the treatment of psychotic disorders and shows resulting data. Case study.
  • Luciano, C. (2001). On the Experiential Avoidance Disorder and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Análisis y Modificación de Conducta, 27, 113, 317-332. A case study on ACT.
  • Luciano, C. (2001) (Ed.), Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso (ACT) y el Traastorno de Evitación Experiencial. Un síntesis de casos clínicos. (Ed.) Valencia: Promolibro.
  • Luciano, C. & Cabello, F. (2001). Bereavement and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Análisis y Modificación de Conducta, 27, 113, 399-424.
    Describes the use of ACT in the treatment of complicated bereavement and shows resulting data. Case study.
  • Luciano, C., & Gutierrez, O. (2001). Anxiety and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Análisis y Modificación de Conducta, 27, 113, 373-398.
    Describes the use of ACT in the treatment of anxiety problems and shows resulting data. Case study.
  • Zaldívar, F. & Hernández, M. (2001). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Application to an experiential avoidance with agoraphobic form. Análisis y Modificación de Conducta, 27, 113, 425-454.
    Describes the use of ACT in the treatment of agoraphobia and shows resulting data. Case study.

2000

  • Carrascoso López, F. J. (2000). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia: A Case Study. Psychology in Spain, 4(1), 120-128.
  • Garcia, R. F. (2000). Application of acceptance and commitment therapy in an example of experiential avoidance. Psicothema, 12, 445-450.

1999 and Earlier (First ACT Book Appears in 1999)

  • Biglan, A. (1989). A contextual approach to the clinical treatment of parental distress. In G. H. S. Singer & L. K. Irvin (Eds.), Support for caregiving families: Enabling positive adaptation to disability (pp. 299-311). Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
    Uncontrolled. Presents case data on the use of ACT components with families.
  • Hayes, S. C. (1987). A contextual approach to therapeutic change. In N. Jacobson (Ed.), Psychotherapists in clinical practice: Cognitive and behavioral perspectives (pp. 327-387). New York: Guilford Press.
    Shows a series of uncontrolled case evaluations on ACT with anxiety problems.
Steven Hayes

Correlational studies

Correlational studies

Correlational studies on ACT-Related Processes by Year

See also the experimental psychopathology page

In Press

2009

2008

  • Boelen, P.A. & Reijntjes, A. (2008). Measuring experiential avoidance: Reliability and validity of the Dutch 9-item acceptance and action questionnaire (AAQ). Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 30, 241-251.
  • Kashdan, T. B., & Breen, W. E. (2008). Social anxiety and positive emotions: A prospective examination of a self-regulatory model with tendencies to suppress or express emotions as a moderating variable. Behavior Therapy, 39, 1-12.
  • Leonard, L. M., Iverson, K. M. & Follette, V. M. (2008). Sexual functioning and sexual satisfaction among women who report a history of childhood and/or adolescent sexual abuse. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 34, 375-384.
  • McCracken, L. M. & Yang, S. (2008). A Contextual Cognitive-Behavioral Analysis of Rehabilitation Workers’ Health and Well-Being: Influences of Acceptance, Mindfulness, and Values-Based Action. Rehabilitation Psychology, 53(4), 479-485.
  • Ostafin, B. D. & Marlatt, G. A. (2008). Surfing the urge: Experiential acceptance moderates the relation between automatic alcohol motivation and hazardous drinking. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 27(4), 404-418.
  • Tull, M.T. & Gratz, K.L. (2008). Further examination of the relationship between anxiety sensitivity and depression: The mediating role of experiential avoidance and difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior when distressed. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 22(2), 199-210.
  • Tull, M.T., Rodman, S.A. & Roemer, L. (2008). An examination of the fear of bodily sensations and body hypervigilance as predictors of emotion regulation difficulties among individuals with a recent history of uncued panic attacks. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 22(4), 750-760.

2007

  • Andrew, D.H. & Dulin, P.L. (2007). The relationship between self-reported health and mental health problems among older adults in New Zealand: Experiential avoidance as a moderator. Aging and mental health, 11(5), 596-603.
  • Butler, J., & Ciarrochi, J. (2007). Psychological Acceptance and Quality of Life in the Elderly. Quality of Life Research, 16, 607-615.
    In a sample of 187 elderly those higher in psychological acceptance had higher quality of life in the areas of health, safety, community participation and emotional well-being; and had less adverse psychological reactions to decreasing productivity.
  • Chapman, A. L. & Cellucci, T. (2007). The role of antisocial and borderline personality features in substance dependence among incarcerated females. Addictive Behaviors, 32, 1131-1145.
  • Gold, S.D., Marx, B.P. & Lexington, J.M. (2007). Gay male sexual assault survivors: The relations among internalized homophobia, experiential avoidance, and psychological symptom severity. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45(3), 549-562.
  • Kashdan, T. B., & Breen, W. E. (2007). Materialism and diminished well-being: Experiential avoidance as a mediating mechanism. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 26, 521-539.
    This correlational study examined the hypothesis that experiential avoidance mediates associations between excessively materialistic values and diminished emotional well-being, meaning in life, self-determination, and gratitude. Results indicated that people with high materialistic values reported more negative emotions and less relatedness, autonomy, competence, gratitude, positive emotions, and sense of meaning – all of these relations were mediated by experiential avoidance mediated all of these relations. Emotional disturbances such as social anxiety and depressive symptoms failed to account for these findings after accounting for shared variance with experiential avoidance.
  • McCracken, L. M., & Vowles, K. E. (2007). Psychological flexibility and traditional pain management strategies in relation to patient functioning with chronic pain: An examination of a revised instrument. Journal of Pain, 8, 339-349.
  • Morina, N. (2007). The role of experiential avoidance in psychological functioning after war-related stress in Kosovar civilians. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 195(8), 697-700.
  • Norberg, M. M., Wetterneck, C. T., Woods, D. W., & Conelea, C. A. (2007). Examination of the mediating role of psychological acceptance in relationships between cognitions and severity of chronic hairpulling. Behavior Modification, 31, 367 – 381.
    Correlational study with 730+ folks suffering from trichotillomania. Experiential avoidance as measured by the AAQ fully mediated the rela¬tionship between hair-pulling and both fears of negative evaluation and feelings of shame and partially mediated the relationship between hair-pulling severity and dysfunctional beliefs about appearance.
  • Tull, M.T., Jakupcak, M. & Paulson, A. (2007). The role of emotional inexpressivity and experiential avoidance in the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity and aggressive behavior among men exposed to interpersonal violence. Anxiety, Stress & Coping: An International Journal, 20(4), 337-351.
  • Tull, M. T., & Roemer, L. (2007). Emotion regulation difficulties associated with the experience of uncued panic attacks: Evidence of experiential avoidance, emotional nonacceptance, and decreased emotional clarity. Behavior Therapy, 38(4), 378-391.

2006

  • Bond, F. W., & Flaxman, P. E. (2006). The Ability of Psychological Flexibility and Job Control to Predict Learning, Job Performance, and Mental Health. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 26, 113-130.
  • Flessner, D. A., & Woods, D. W. (2006). Phenomenological characteristics, social problems, and the economic impact associated with chronic skin picking. Behavior Modification, 30, 944-963.
    Found that the impact of skin picking on depression and anxiety was partially mediated by the AAQ in a non-referred sample of chronic skin pickers.
  • Gaudiano, B. A., & Herbert, J. D. (2006). Believability of hallucinations as a potential mediator of their frequency and associated distress in psychotic inpatients. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 34, 497–502.
  • Kashdan, T.B., Barrios, V., Forsyth, J.P., & Steger, M.F. (2006). Experiential avoidance as a generalized psychological vulnerability: Comparisons with coping and emotion regulation strategies. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44, 1301-1320.
    two studies, one correlational and one longitudinal, show that experiential avoidance as measured by the AAQ fully or partially mediated the relationships between coping and emotion regulation strategies on anxiety-related pathology, (Sutdy 1) and psychological distress and hedonic functioning over the course of a 21-day monitoring period (Study 2). The variables examined included maladaptive coping, emotional responses styles, and uncontrollability on anxiety-related distress (e.g., anxiety sensitivity, trait anxiety, suffocation fears, and body sensation fears), and suppression and cognitive reappraisal on daily negative and positive experiences. The data showed that cognitive reappraisal, a primary process of traditional cognitive-behavior therapy, was much less predictive of the quality of psychological experiences and events in everyday life compared with EA.
  • Kashdan, T. B., & Steger, M. (2006). Expanding the topography of social anxiety: An experience sampling assessment of positive emotions and events, and emotion suppression. Psychological Science, 17, 120-128.
    In a 21-day experience sampling study, dispositional social anxiety, emotional suppression, and cognitive reappraisal was compared daily measures of social anxiety. Socially anxious individuals reported the lowest rate of positive events on days when they were more socially anxious and tended to suppress emotions, and the highest rate of positive events on days when they were less socially anxious and more accepting of emotional experiences. Irrespective of dispositional social anxiety, participants reported the most intense positive emotions on days when they were less socially anxious and more accepting of emotional experiences.
  • McCracken, L. M. (2006). Toward a fully functional, flexible, and defused approach to pain in young people. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 13, 182-184.
  • Reddy, M.K., Pickett, S.M. & Orcutt, H.K. (2006). Experiential avoidance as a mediator in the relationship between childhood psychological abuse and current mental health symptoms in college students. Journal of Emotional Abuse, 6(1), 67-85.
  • Tull, M.T., Gratz, K.L., & Lacroce, D.M. (2006). The role of anxiety sensitivity and lack of emotional approach coping in depressive symptom severity among a non-clinical sample of uncued panickers. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 35(2), 74-87.

2005

  • Greco, L. A., Heffner, M., Ritchie, S., Polak, M., Poe, S., & Lynch, S. K., (2005). Maternal adjustment following preterm birth: Contributions of experiential avoidance. Behavior Therapy, 36, 177-184.
    Experiential avoidance as measured by the AAQ correlated positively with post-discharge parental stress and traumatic stress symptoms surrounding preterm birth. Moreover, it partially mediated the association between stress during delivery and later traumatic stress symptoms. This process was not moderated by parent reports of child temperament or perceived social support, suggesting that experiential avoidance plays a mediating role irrespective of child characteristics or perceived support from family members and close friends.
  • Marx, B.P. & Sloan, D.M. (2005). Experiential avoidance, peritraumatic dissociation, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 43, 569-583.
    185 trauma survivors were assessed for peritraumatic dissociation, experiential avoidance (using the AAQ), and PTSD symptom severity. Both peritraumatic dissociation and experiential avoidance were significantly related to PTSD symptoms at baseline. After the initial levels of PTSD was taken into account, only experiential avoidance was related to PTSD symptoms both 4- and 8-weeks later.
  • McCracken, L. M. (2005). Social context and acceptance of chronic pain: The role of solicitous and punishing responses. Pain, 113, 155-159.
  • Orcutt, H. K., Pickett, S., & Pope, E. (2005). Experiential avoidance and forgiveness as mediators in the relation between traumatic life events and PTSD symptoms. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 24, 1003–1029.
  • Roemer, L., Salters, K., Raffa, S. D., & Orsillo, S. M. (2005). Fear and avoidance of internal experiences in GAD: Preliminary tests of a conceptual model. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 29, 71-88.
    Correlational study. Shows that the AAQ is associated with GAD symptoms in both clinical and non-clinical populations.

2004

  • Begotka, A. M., Woods, D. W., & Wetterneck, C. T. (2004). The relationship between experiential avoidance and the severity of trichotillomania in a nonreferred sample. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 35, 17-24.
    In a large sample of adults suffering from trichotillomania, experiential avoidance as measured by the 9 item AAQ correlated with more frequent and intense urges to pull, less ability to control urges, and more pulling-related distress than persons who were not experientially avoidant. Actual pulling did not differ.
  • Donaldson, E. & Bond, F.W. (2004). Psychological acceptance and emotional intelligence in relation to workplace well-being. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 32, 187-203.
    Study compared experiential avoidance (as measures by the AAQ) and emotional intelligence in terms of their ability to predict general mental health, physical well-being, and job satisfaction in workers (controlling for the effects of job control since this work organisation variable is consistently associated with occupational health and performance). Results from 290 United Kingdom workers showed that emotional intelligence did not significantly predict any of the well-being outcomes, after accounting for acceptance and job control. Acceptance predicted general mental health and physical well-being but not job satisfaction, Job control was associated with job satisfaction, only. Not controlling one’s thoughts and feelings (as advocated by acceptance) may have greater benefits for mental well-being than attempting consciously to regulate them (as emotional intelligence suggests).

The AAQ validation study. Over 2000 subjects. Validates both a 9 and 16 item version, both single factor.

  • Mairal, J. B. (2004). Spanish Adaptation of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ). International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 4, 505-515.
  • Plumb, J. C., Orsillo, S. M., & Luterek, J. A. (2004). A preliminary test of the role of experiential avoidance in post-event functioning. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 35, 245-257.
    Correlational study. Showed that experiential avoidance was correlated with post-traumatic symptomatology over and above other measures of psychological functioning.
  • Tull, M. T., Gratz, K. L., Salters, K., & Roemer, L. (2004). The role of experiential avoidance in posttraumatic stress symptoms and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and somatization. Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease, 192(11), 754-761.
    Correlational study. Among a sample of individuals exposed to multiple potentially traumatic events, general experiential avoidance (but not thought suppression in particular), predicted symptoms of depression, anxiety, and somatization when controlling for posttraumatic stress symptom severity. Thought suppression (but not experiential avoidance) was associated with severity of posttraumatic stress symptoms when controlling for their shared relationship with general psychiatric symptom severity.

2003

  • Bond, F. W. & Bunce, D. (2003). The role of acceptance and job control in mental health, job satisfaction, and work performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, 1057-1067.
    Shows that AAQ predicts positive work outcomes (mental health, satisfaction, performance) even one year later, especially in combination with job control. Re-factors the AAQ and shows that a two factor solution can work on a slightly different 16 item version.
  • Forsyth, J. P., Parker, J. D., & Finlay, C. G. (2003). Anxiety sensitivity, controllability, and experiential avoidance and their relation to drug of choice and addiction severity in a residential sample of substance-abusing veterans. Addictive Behaviors, 28(5), 851-870.
  • Tull, M.T., & Roemer, L. (2003). Alternative explanations for emotional numbing of posttraumatic stress disorder: An examination of hyperarousal and experiential avoidance. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment, 25, 147-154.

2002

  • Marx, B. P. & Sloan, D. M. (2002). The role of emotion in the psychological functioning of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Behavior Therapy, 33, 563-577.
    Correlational study showing that childhood sexual abuse (CSA), experiential avoidance and emotional expressivity were significantly related to psychological distress. However, only experiential avoidance mediated the relationship between CSA and current distress.

2001

  • Batten, S. V., Follette, V.M., & Aban, I (2001). Experiential Avoidance and high risk sexual behavior in survivors of child sexual abuse. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 10(2), 101-120.
    This is a correlational study (N = 283) showing that generalized experiential avoidance accounted for 67% of the variance in distress in a sexually abused population.

1999 and earlier

  • McCracken, L. M. (1999). Behavioral constituents of chronic pain acceptance: Results from factor analysis of the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire. Journal of Back & Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, 13, 93-100.
  • McCracken, L. M. (1998). Learning to live with the pain: acceptance of pain predicts adjustment in persons with chronic pain. Pain, 74, 21-27.
    This study is based on a pain related early version of the AAQ. Greater acceptance of pain was associated with reports of lower pain intensity, less pain-related anxiety and avoidance, less depression, less physical and psychosocial disability, more daily uptime, and better work status. A relatively low correlation between acceptance and pain intensity showed that acceptance is not simply a function of having a low level of pain. Regression analyses showed that acceptance of pain predicted better adjustment on all other measures of patient function, independent of perceived pain intensity. This work is replicated, refined and extended in McCracken, L. M. & Eccleston, C. (2003). Coping or acceptance: What to do about chronic pain. Pain, 105, 197-204. and McCracken, L. M. , Vowles, K. E., & Eccleston, C. (2004). Acceptance of chronic pain: Component analysis and a revised assessment method. Pain, 107, 159-166.
Steven Hayes

Effectiveness Articles

Effectiveness Articles
  • Vowles, K. E., & McCracken, L. M. (2008). Acceptance and values-based action in chronic pain: A study of effectiveness and treatment process. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 76, 397-407.

Participants included 171 completers of an interdisciplinary treatment program, 66.7% of whom completed a 3-month follow-up assessment as well. Results indicated significant improvements for pain, depression, pain-related anxiety, disability, medical visits, work status, and physical performance. Effect size statistics were uniformly medium or larger. According to reliable change analyses, 75.4% of patients demonstrated improvement in at least one key domain. Both acceptance of pain and values-based action improved, and increases in these processes were associated with improvements in the primary outcome domains.

101 heterogeneous outpatients reporting moderate to severe levels of anxiety or depression were randomly assigned either to traditional CT or to ACT. 23 junior therapists were used. Participants receiving CT and ACT evidenced large and equivalent improvements in depression, anxiety, functioning difficulties, quality of life, life satisfaction and clinician-rated functioning. “Observing” and “describing” one’s experiences mediated outcomes for those in the CT group relative to those in the ACT group, whereas “experiential avoidance,” “acting with awareness” and “acceptance” mediated outcomes for those in the ACT group.
Randomized controlled study in which 14 student therapists treat one client each from an ACT model or a traditional CBT model for 6-8 sessions following a 2 session functional analysis. Participants with any normal outpatient problem were included. At post and at the 6 month follow up ACT clients are more improved on the SCL-90 and several other measures. Greater acceptance for ACT patients; great self-confidence for CBT patients. Both correlated with outcomes, but when partial correlations are calculated, only acceptance still relates to outcome.
108 chronic pain patients with a long history of treatment are followed through an ACT-based 3-4 week residential treatment program. Measures improved from initial assessment to pre-treatment on average only 3% (average of 3.9 month wait), but improved on average 34% following treatment. 81% of these gains were retained through a 3 month follow up. Changes in acceptance predicted positive changes in depression, pain related anxiety, physical disability, psychosocial disability, and the ability to stand. Positive outcomes were also seen in a timed walk, decreased medical visits, daily rest due to pain, pain intensity, and decreased pain medication use.
Controlled effectiveness trial. Not randomized. Shows that training in ACT produces generally more effective clinicians, as measured by client outcomes.

Steven Hayes

Experimental Psychopathology and Component Studies

Experimental Psychopathology and Component Studies

Experimental Psychopathology and Component Studies by Year

Below is a list of experimental psychopathology and analogue studies testing components of ACT. 

2009

2008

  • Degen, L.M. (2008). Acceptance-based emotion regulation, perceptions of control, state mindfulness, anxiety sensitivity, and experiential avoidance: Predicting response to hyperventilation. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. American University.

2007

  • Cochrane, A., Barnes-Holmes, D., Barnes-Holmes, Y., Stewart, I., & Luciano, C. (2007). Experiential avoidance and aversive visual images: Response delays and event related potentials on a simple matching task. Behavior Research and Therapy, 45, 1379-1388.
    Two experiments. In Experiment 1, participants high (n = 15) or low in avoidance (n = 14), as measured by the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire, completed a simple matching task that required them to choose whether or not to look at an aversive visual image. Only the high-avoidance participants took longer to emit a correct response that produced an aversive rather than a neutral picture. Additionally, the high-avoiders reported greater levels of anxiety following the experiment even though they rated the aversive images as less unpleasant and less emotionally arousing than their low-avoidant counterparts. In Experiment 2, three groups, representing high- mid- and low-avoidance (n = 6 in each) repeated the matching task with the additional recording of event related potentials (ERPs). The findings replicated Experiment 1 but also showed that high-EA subjects had significantly greater negativity for electrodes over the left hemisphere relative to the midline suggesting that the high-EA group engaged in verbal strategies to regulate their emotional responses.
  • Forman, E.M., Hoffman, K.L., McGrath, K.B., Herbert, J.D., Brandsma, L.L. & Lowe, M.R. (2007). A comparison of acceptance- and control-based strategies for coping with food cravings: An analog study.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 2372-2386.
    98 participants with chocolate cravings were exposed to a CBT-based protocol and an ACT-based protocol or no instructions and required to carry chocolate with them of for two days. Those more impacted by food related cues ate less and had fewer cravings in the ACT condition.
  • Gratz, K.L., Bornovalova, M.A., Delany-Brumsey, A., Bettina, N. & Lejuez, C.W. (2007). A laboratory-based study of the relationship between childhood abuse and experiential avoidance among inner-city substance users: The role of emotional nonacceptance. Behavior Therapy, 38(3), 256-268.
  • Marcks, B.A. & Woods, D.W. (2007). Role of thought-related beliefs and coping strategies in the escalation of intrusive thoughts: An analog to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 2640–2651.
  • Masedo, A.I. & Esteve, M.R. (2007). Effects of suppression, acceptance and spontaneous coping on pain tolerance, pain intensity and distress. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 199-209.
    A large and well-controlled randomized study that replicated Hayes, Bissett, Korn, Zettle, Rosenfarb, Cooper, & Grundt, 1999. Acceptance methods drawn from the 1999 ACT book and from the Hayes et al. 1999 pain study (the methods used included an acceptance rationale, practicing awareness of experience, the “Passengers on the Bus” exercise, and the ‘Two Scales Metaphor’) increased pain tolerance and decreased pain ratings in a cold pressor task as compared both to suppression methods (based on thought stopping) and to participants preferred method of coping (which tended to include distraction, relaxation, and keeping the hand still). The latter two conditions did not differ from each other in the main analysis.
  • Roche, B., Forsyth, J.P. & Maher, E. (2007). The impact of demand characteristics on brief acceptance- and control-based interventions for pain tolerance. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 14, 381-393.
  • Tull, M.T. & Roemer, L. (2007). Emotion regulation difficulties associated with the experience of uncued panic attacks: Evidence of experiential avoidance, emotional nonacceptance, and decreased emotional clarity. Behavior Therapy, 38(4), 378-391.

2006

  • Campbell-Sills, L., Barlow, D. H., Brown, T. A., & Hofmann, S. G. (2006). Effects of suppression and acceptance on emotional responses of individuals with anxiety and mood disorders. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44, 1251-1263.
    Similar to the study above, brief acceptance methods led to lower heart rate during exposure to an aversive film and less negative affect during the post-film recovery period that did control strategies in individuals with anxiety and mood disorders.
  • Campbell-Sills, L., Barlow, D. H., Brown, T. A., & Hofmann, S. G. (2006). Acceptability and suppression of negative emotion in anxiety and mood disorders. Emotion, 6(4), 587–595.
    This study compared the responses of participants from a clinical and non-clinical sample to an emotion provoking film. The study found that participants from the clinical group spontaneously used suppression to a greater degree than non-clinical participants and that attempts at suppression were associated with greater distress.
  • Cohen, G.L., Garcia, J., Apfel, N. & Master, A. (2006). Reducing the racial achievement gap: A social-psychological intervention. Science, 313, 1307-1310.
  • Williams, L.M. (2006). Acceptance and commitment therapy: An example of third-wave therapy as a treatment for Australian Vietnam War veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: Unpublished dissertation, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, New South Wales.

2005

  • Keogh, E., Bond, F. W., Hanmer, R. & Tilston, J. (2005). Comparing acceptance and control-based coping instructions on the cold-pressor pain experiences of healthy men and women. European Journal of Pain, 9, 591-598.
    Simple acceptance-based coping instructions improved affective pain more than distraction but only for women.
    Tested acceptance- and control-based instructions in a cold pressor task. The result showed that the acceptance-based coping strategy could reduce self-reported pain, and that males and females reacted to the coping strategies differently. Females produced lower pain level following the acceptance-based strategy than males.
  • Marcks, B. A. & Woods, D. W. (2005). A comparison of thought suppression to an acceptance-based technique in the management of personal intrusive thoughts: A controlled evaluation. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 43, 433-445.
    Two studies. Correlational study shows suppressing personally relevant intrusive thoughts is associated with more thoughts, more distress, greater urge to do something. Those who accept are less obsessional, depressed and anxious. Experimental study shows that instructions to suppress does not work and leads to increased level of distress; instructions of accept (using a couple of short metaphors drawn from the ACT book) decreases discomfort but not thought frequency.
  • Zettle, R. D., Hocker, T. R., Mick, K. A., Scofield, B. E., Petersen, C. L., Hyunsung S., & Sudarijanto, R. P. (2005). Differential strategies in coping with pain as a function of level of experiential avoidance. The Psychological Record, 55(4), 511-524.
    Correlational. High versus low EA participants show differences in pain tolerance and in pain coping.

2004

  • Masuda, A., Hayes, S. C., Sackett, C. F., & Twohig, M. P. (2004). Cognitive defusion and self-relevant negative thoughts: Examining the impact of a ninety year old technique. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 42, 477-485.
    Shows in a series of time-series designs and a group study, that the “milk, milk, milk” defusion technique reduces distress and believability of negative self-referential thoughts.
  • Gutiérrez, O., Luciano, C., Rodríguez, M., & Fink, B. C. (2004). Comparison between an acceptance-based and a cognitive-control-based protocol for coping with pain. Behavior Therapy, 35, 767-784.
    Randomized study with analogue pain task showing greater tolerance for pain in the defusion and acceptance-based condition drawn from ACT as compared to a closely parallel cognitive-control based condition.
  • Karekla, M., Forsyth, J. P., & Kelly, M. M. (2004). Emotional avoidance and panicogenic responding to a biological challenge procedure.Behavior Therapy, 35, 725-746.
    Normal participants high or low on the AAQ were exposed to a CO2 challenge. High emotional avoiders reported more panic symptoms than low avoiders. No difference physiologically.
  • Levitt, J. T., Brown, T. A., Orsillo, S. M., & Barlow, D. H. (2004). The effects of acceptance versus suppression of emotion on subjective and psychophysiological response to carbon dioxide challenge in patients with panic disorder. Behavior Therapy, 35, 747-766.
    Acceptance methods (drawn directly from the ACT book) did a better job than control strategies in promoting successful exposure in panic disordered patients.
  • Sloan, D. M. (2004). Emotion regulation in action: Emotional reactivity in experiential avoidance. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 42, 1257-1270.
    Examined the relationship between emotional reactivity (self-report and physiological reactivity) to pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral emotion-eliciting stimuli and experiential avoidance as measured by the AAQ. Sixty-two participants were separated into high and low experiential avoiders. Results indicated that high EA participants reported greater emotional experience to both unpleasant and pleasant stimuli compared to low EA participants. In contrast to their heightened reports of emotion, high EA participants displayed attenuated heart rate reactivity to the unpleasant stimuli relative to the low EA participants. Findings were interpreted as reflecting an emotion regulation attempt by high EA participants when confronted with unpleasant emotion-evocative stimuli.
  • Spira, A. P., Zvolensky, M. J., Eifert, G. H., & Feldner, M. T. (2004). Avoidance-oriented coping as a predictor of anxiety-based physical stress: A test using biological challenge. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 18, 309–323.

2003

  • Eifert, G. H. & Heffner, M. (2003). The effects of acceptance versus control contexts on avoidance of panic-related symptoms. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 34, 293-312.
    Randomized study comparing control versus acceptance during a CO2 challenge with anxious subjects. Acceptance oriented exercise (the finger trap) reduced avoidance, anxiety symptoms, and anxious cognitions as compared to breathing training.
  • Feldner, M. T., Zvolensky, M. J., Eifert, G. H., & Spira, A. P. (2003). Emotional avoidance: An experimental tests of individual differences and response suppression during biological challenge. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 41, 403-411.
    High emotional avoidance subjects showed more anxiety in response to CO2, particularly when instructed to suppress their emotions.
  • Hopkinson, J. & Neuringer, A. (2003). Modifying behavioral variability in moderately depressed students. Behavior Modification, 27(2), 251-264.

2002

  • Takahashi, M., Muto, T., Tada, M., & Sugiyama, M. (2002). Acceptance rationale and increasing pain tolerance: Acceptance-based and FEAR-based practice. Japanese Journal of Behavior Therapy, 28, 35-46.
    Small randomized trial that replicated Hayes, Bissett, Korn, Zettle, Rosenfarb, Cooper, & Grundt, 1999. An acceptance rationale plus two ACT defusion exercises (leaves on the stream and physicalizing) did significantly better than a match control focused intervention on pain tolerance, or a lecture on pain.

1999 or Before

Steven Hayes

Qualitative Studies

Qualitative Studies

Qualitative Studies by Year (including Mixed Methods)

2014

  • Bacon, T., Farhall, J., & Fossey, E. (2014). The active therapeutic processes of acceptance and commitment therapy for persistent symptoms of psychosis: Clients’ perspectives. Behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy, 42(04), 402-420.

2013

  • Barker, E., & McCracken, L. M. (2013). From traditional cognitive–behavioural therapy to acceptance and commitment therapy for chronic pain: a mixed-methods study of staff experiences of change. British Journal of Pain, 2049463713498865.
Mick Darby

Reviews of the Empirical Literature

Reviews of the Empirical Literature

Empirical Reviews of ACT Data

2010

  • Ruiz, F. J. (2010). A review of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) empirical evidence: Correlational, experimental psychopathology, component and outcome studies. International Journal of Psychology and Psychological Therapy, 10, 125-162.

2008

  • Öst, L. G. (2008). Efficacy of the third wave of behavioral therapies: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 46(3), 296-321

2006

Meta-analysis of ACT process evidence and ACT outcomes, current through Summer 2005.

2004

Tutorial review of the ACT literature current through late 2003.
Steven Hayes

Studies Underway that We Know About

Studies Underway that We Know About

Projects underway or recently completed that we know about

Frank Bond has completed and is writing up two replications and extensions of the Bond and Bunce 2000 study

Fredrick Livheim (livheim@hotmail.com) has conducted a randomized prevention trial with ACT in a school setting. Sigificantly better stress outcomes including at a 6 month follow up

Heather Nash who was at University of Alaska, has relocated to Las Vegas. She has a study of ACT with eating disorders using a multiple baseline

John Forsyth and Maria Karekla (University of Albany) ran a small RCT comparing an Acceptance Framed version of Panic Control Therapy vs. a "treatment as usual" version of Panic Control Therapy for persons suffering from panic disorder. The results are being written up. Persons in the ACT Framed condition were  less likely to drop out of treatment just prior to interoceptive exposure compared with the TAU condition.

John Forsyth and Sean Sheppard (University at Albany) are about to submit a write up of a large RCT comparing the effectiveness of The Mindfulness & Acceptance Workbook for Anxiety in a National and International sample of people who view their anxiety and fear as a significant problem for them.

John Forsyth, Ed Hickling, Dan Silverman have conducted an effectiveness study evaluating a half day ACT workshop for people suffering from Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The study includes pre-workshop assessment and a 3 month follow-up, plus a treatment seeking MS control group that did not get the workshop. The workshop significantly reduced depression (from moderate-to-severe range to mild range), thought suppression, and pain interference on quality of life.

Similar ACT-based anxiety protocols are being tested by Jill Levitt, and by Eifert, Forsyth, & Craske

Branstetter, A., Wilson, K. G., & Mutch, D. G. (August 2003). ACT and the treatment of psychological distress among cancer patients. Paper given at the World Conference on ACT, RFT, and the New Behavioral Psychology, Linköping, Sweden. Large randomized trial showing that ACT is more helpful than traditional CBT in dealing with end stage cancer and works through a different process. Under revie

Randomized trial underway on ACT for command hallucinations in Australia. Under the direction of Fran Shawyer at the Mental Health Research Institute of Victoria. email: fshawyer@mhri.edu.au

Julieann Pankey has found that the AAQ is highly correlated with complicated grieving.
Dosheen Cook has found that the AAQ-heath relationship is the same in Asian as in Caucasian populations

Meyer, B., & Chow, L. (2003, June). Preference for experiential/mindfulness versus rational/cognitive Therapy: The role of information processing styles and sociopolitical attitudes. Poster presented at the annual convention of the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Weimar, Germany. Found that ACT was preferred by liberals … conservative preferred CBT. You can get this manuscript from b.meyer@roehampton.ac.uk

Greco, Dew, & Blomquist have a small uncontrolled pilot-feasibility study currently underway examining the impact of ACT for adolescents with chronic abdominal pain, anxiety, and depression (current enrollment = 10 teens/parents).

Greco has examined willingness and experiential avoidance among children who experience chronic abdominal pain and persistent headaches. Unpublished as of yet. After controlling for gender, age, and pain frequency, duration, and severity, higher levels of acceptance predicted life quality (Beta = .38), and experiential avoidance/fusion predicted greater use of school medical services and school restrooms during class time (Betas = .24 and .23, respectively), lower quality of life (Beta = -.49), higher anxiety (Beta = .64), and lower teacher-rated academic competence (Beta = -.29).

Greco, Dew, & Baer have a manuscript underway that presents psychometric properties of the Willingness and Action Measure (WAM), Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire (AFQ), and Child Acceptance and Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). Findings suggest that the WAM and CAMM correlate positively with positive functioning, whereas scores on the AFQ correlate positively with physical and emotional symptoms and school disability.

Greco & Russell (2004) evaluated the short-term effects of participating in a summer camp for diabetic youth and investigated the extent to which psychological acceptance moderated children’s response to camp. Psychological acceptance (using the WAM) moderated the relation between pre- and post-camp diabetes self-care behavior, with self-care ratings increasing most when psychological acceptance was high (Beta = .24, p < .05).

Laurie Greco is testing out ACT with eating disorders

Heather Murray, James Herbert, and Evan Forman have a group ACT vs group CBT RCT for Smoking Cessation underway

Laura Ely and Kelly Wilson have a small (n = 10) open trial with college students at risk for drop out. Showed improvements on grades and on many of the subscales of the LASSI (study skills inventory) such as time management and using study aids which were never directly addressed

Claire Keogh is working on an extension of the Masuda
study on defusion. So far the data are consistent with the original.

Claire Keogh, Hilary-Anne Healy have completed a study on the utility of a defusion statement ("I am having the thought that" when presented in the context of positively and negatively evaluated self-referential statements in an automated procedure. Good data

Anne Keogh is comparing acceptance and control as interventions with experimentally induced radiant heat pain. Data is looking good for acceptance. May be a gender diff

Andy Cochrane, is looking at acceptance and a behavioral approach task relevant to spider phobia. All interventions fully automated. No data yet.

Geraldine Scanlon is working with a sample of ADHD kids on self-esteem, trying to replicate the recent study of me-good and me-bad relations published in the Record by Rhonda and Kelly.

Claire Campbell is investigating the PASAT and mirror tracing procedures for stress tolerance and applying ACT interventions to them.

Fodhla Coogan and Loretto Cunningham are looking at experimental analogues of experiential avoidance in the context of equivalence relations and aversive versus positive pictures.

Kevin Vowles and John Sorrell have been piloting a group treatment for chronic pain patients integrating the traditional educational stuff that is often part of psychological treatments for pain (e.g., meds, exercise, nutrition, sleep, communication) with ACT. The treatment consists of eight 90-minute sessions. Data so far look good

Frank Gardner at La Salle has a study being written up that shows that
1. Individuals who score high on measures of anger (STAXI) also score high on experiential avoidance and low on emotion regulation.
2. Individuals who score high on anger AND demonstrate behavioral dysregulation are likely to have a significant aversiove early life history (across multiple domains) unlike those patients with behavior dysregulation with minimal anger. These same patients score much lower on QOLI and a values assessment that we have bveen using as well.-
3. The AAQ predicts early termination from treatment (explaining 51% of the variance)... when directly targeted with a a 10 minute "psychoeducation" about experiential avoidance premature termination (69% of which occurs between intake and session 1) is reduced by 50%.

Jason Luoma at University of Nevada, Reno is conducting a randomized trial comparison an introductory 2-day workshop on ACT to the same workshop plus six sessions of phone consultation on learning ACT.

Brandon Gaudiano is conducting a pilot study of a novel psychosocial treatment integrating behavioral activation and ACT for patients with Major Depressive Disorder, severe with psychotic features.

Jen Plumb and Steven Hayes examined the relationship between personal values and depression using the PVQ (Blackledge & Ciarrochi). Found that depressed individuals were more likely to report low success at living consistently with values across domains than non-depressed individuals, and the discrepancy between values success and importance was related more strongly to psychological functioning in depressed individuals than non-depressed individuals. When depressed individuals were low on success at living consistently with their values they were more likely to endorse pliant and avoidance based reasons for choosing those values than non-depressed controls.

Jen Plumb, Mike Levin and Steven Hayes are examining the potentially motivative effects of values statements on studying behavior in college students. Two studies are underway (data collection phase). One examines self-monitoring of study behavior versus a simple values intervention in addition to self-monitoring. The other examines the differential effects of aversive values motivation (e.g., pliant, avoidant functions) as opposed to appetitive values motivation (e.g., choice, awareness of the reinforcement from living consistent with values) on studying behavior.

JoAnne Dahl and students have RCTs underway in smoking, OCD, and obesity.

JoAnne Dahl has an RCT underway with headache and one with social phobia

Julie Wetherell at UCSD and the VA there (working with Niloo Afari, who recently joined their faculty) have a paper under review comparing ACT to CBT in 100 chronic pain patients.

Nancy Kocovski, Jan Fleming, & Neil Rector (U of Toronto) have an ACT protocol (they call it Mindfulness and Acceptance-Based Group Therapy) for social anxiety that is working well and is headed toward a randomized controlled trial

Tobias Lundgren has finished an ACT RCT for adolescents diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome. The study involved a 12 week treatment program with a 2 months follow up. Significant interaction effects were found on depression, anxiety and stress scales in favor of the treatment group. Furthermore, significant interaction effects were found on attention ability and teacher ratings on troublesome behavior as compared to a waiting list.

Study underway by Andrew Gloster and colleagues at the Institute of Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy in Dresden, Germany, grant funded by the German government entitled: What Should We Do When CBT for Panic/Agoraphobia Fails: ACT! The goal is to test whether ACT can help those patients who are categorized as non-responders following an intense course of CBT.

Studies underway at the School of Psychology, University of Wollongong

1) Billich, Ciarrochi, & Deane have completed a wait-list control trial of ACT with the NSW police. The research suggests that ACT improves mental health, at least in the short run. We are writing this up for publication (This is funded by the Australian Research Council)

2) Fisher and Ciarrochi are conducting a cross-sectional study on personal values and quality of life amongst clients with Cancer. We are examining whether people have better adjustment and mental health when they tend to hold values for authentic reasons (e.g., vitality) rather than controlled reasons (e.g., external pressure), and when they tend to succeed at authentically held values.

3) Ciarrochi and Bailey (in press) have developed a new measure that is designed to aid values clarification. The measure is called the Survey of Life Principles (SLP), and is currently being evaluated in a number of studies. Stefanic and Ciarrochi are examining the psychometric properties of the SLP. Frearson & Ciarrochi are evaluating it in the context of couples satisfaction. Bayliss and Ciarrochi are evaluating it in the context of the police force.

4) Bayliss and Ciarrochi have done a small longitudinal study amongst NSW police recruits, following them from police recruit (Time 1) to one year in the police force (Time 2). Mindfulness, low experiential avoidance, and emotion identification skill were significant predictors of mental health at Time 2, even after controlling for mental health at Time 1. We are in the process of writing this up. (This is funded by the Australian Research Council)

5) We are now in the seventh year of a large longitudinal study of adolescents (now aged 17). Supavadeeprasit and Ciarrochi are preparing a manuscript that looks at experiential avoidance (in grade 8) predicting future social and emotional well-being. Jordan & Ciarrochi have also been looking at the measurement of mindfulness amongst adolescents and its ability to predict future levels of social and emotional well-being (The longitudinal study is been funded by the Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council).

6) Ciarrochi, Lane, & Blackledge have developed an internet-based ACT intervention for people diagnosed with cancer. We are in the process of evaluating its efficacy. (This has been funded by the NSW Cancer Council).

Judith Wetherell at UCSD has a trial on ACT for geriatric GAD

Gerhard Andersson has an RCT completed on ACT for tinnitus

Chris Watson and Christine Purdon at the University of Waterloo, Canada, compared cognitive defusion (using word repetition) to imaginal exposure and no intervention in reducing the believability, distress, and meaningfulness associated with contamination-related thoughts in individuals with high levels of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Significant reductions in belief, distress, and meaningfulness were observed following defusion but not the other two conditions. At follow up both defusion and exposure produced gains. The loss of verbal meaning in defusion was associated with reductions in appraisal ratings at follow-up.

There is an RCT for lupus being done by Tomás Quirosa and Olga Gutiérrez in Almeria

Annie Umbricht at Johns Hopkins has submitted a grant on ACT and Contingency Management for substance abuse


Jan Blalock has an NIH grant for an RCT on ACT for smoking (as of 2009)


Angie Stotts is nearing completion of her RCT of ACT to help with drug detoxification. Good effect sizes ... on the edge p value wise (ah the joys of low power)


Michelle Sheets, a Ph.D. student at Hofstra University, and Yulia Landa at Cornell Medical College has a trial on ACT for delusions underway at the New York Presbyterian Hospital. Contact: yul9003@med.cornell.edu


Rhonda Merwin posted on 5/21/2014:

My colleagues (Timko, Zucker) and I have completed an open trial of adolescent anorexia nervosa (N = 47) - there were nice outcomes - remission rates were similar to Family Based Treatment (Maudsley). The preliminary paper is out- the main paper will be out soon.

My colleagues (Bigatti et al.) and I have completed an small RCT (N = 28) comparing ACT to an educational control for fibromyalgia-- data supported some unique positive outcomes for ACT. Manuscript in progress.

 

Jean Fournier fournier@u-paris10.fr has several studies coming on ACT for high level athletes in France


Jane Morton, Sharon Snowden, and Michelle Gopold in Melbourne have an RCT on ACT for BPD … under review right now

Michele Craske at UCLA has a couple of large ACT vs. CBT projects with anxiety disorders. The first one, with Joanna Arch as senior author, is under submission. Similar outcomes ….different in a few subgroups; different moderators and mediators


Niloofar Afair at UC San Diego / VA has a VA grant for an RCT of ACT for binge eating


Niloo is also doing a pilot study of ACT for distress and treatment decision-making in early stage prostate cancer patients.


Julie Wetherell at UC San Diego has a VA grant to do a non-inferiority trial comparing ACT in person to ACT in telehealth for chronic pain.
 

Additional information about research being conducted in Australia and New Zealand can be found here.

Steven Hayes