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| Int'l Symposium - Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Core Principles and Measures |
| Tuesday, June 1, 2004 |
| 10:30 AM–11:50 AM |
| Conference Room 2 |
| Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
| Chair: Sinead Smyth (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
| Abstract: . |
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| Experiential Avoidance and ACT Measurement and Change through Different Clinical and Sub Clinical Cases |
| CARMEN LUCIANO SORIANO (University of Almeria, Spain), Olga Gutierrez Martinez (University of Almeria, Spain), Marisa Páez Blarrina (University of Almeria, Spain), Maria Sonsoles Valdivia Salas (University of New Mexico), Miguel Rodriguez-Valverde (University of Almeria, Spain) |
| Abstract: Different studies with clinical and sub-clinical populations have provided evidence of the usefulness of several innovative process and outcome measures for detecting: 1) the ineffective verbal regulation among different topographical disorders that can be conceptualized as experiential avoidance disorders (e.g., substance abuse, anxiety, OCD); 2) the functional changes occurred after ACT applications. These measures include different process questionnaires, records of direct occurrences of clinically relevant behaviors and self-observation methods addressed to evaluate: i) highly aversive private experiences; ii) unhealthy efforts to escape and avoid emotions, thoughts, memories or other private experiences and iii) values-oriented actions and results. These measures constitute a clear support for the idea that ACT produces a rapid decrease in the believability (but not necessarily the frequency) of different psychological aversive contents. This paper presents a detailed description of these functional measures through their application to different psychological problems. Conceptual and clinical implications relevant to clarify the core ACT processes are discussed. |
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| Verbal Processes in ACT Defusion Strategies |
| OLGA GUTIERREZ MARTINEZ (University of Almeria, Spain), Carmen Luciano Soriano (University of Almeria, Spain), Michael J. Dougher (University of New Mexico), Brandi C. Fink (University of New Mexico), Derek A. Hamilton (University of New Mexico), Francisco J. Molina-Cobos (University of Almeria, Spain), Sonsoles Valdivia-Salas (University of New Mexico), Miguel Rodriguez-Valverde (University of Almeria, Spain) |
| Abstract: Interest in the mechanisms or processes that might be responsible for altering the functions of private events is increasing due to the strong impact of some ACT methods. These methods intend to break down fusion with the aversive functions of private contents (Hayes et al., 1999; Wilson & Luciano, 2002). This paper presents an experimental preparation that is thought to be an analogue of some of the processes responsible for the derived effects of acceptance-based procedures. In particular, the interest is focused in analyzing the derived effect of changing the context of aversive contents, according to the relational frames of coordination and opposition. 20 subjects participated in two experimental conditions, one for each relational frame, and 10 subjects participated in a control condition. Results are discussed in terms of the verbal processes involved in defusion-based clinical methods. |
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| Excessive Rule-Following and Depressive Symptomology |
| DAVID MCAULIFFE (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth) |
| Abstract: Some researchers have argued that one of the functional-analytic components of depressive symptomolgy is excessive rule-following. The current paper reviews a series of experiments that were designed to test this suggestion. The first experiments in the series employed multiple FR-DRL schedules of reinforcement and involved providing either accurate or inaccurate instructions to adolescent participants who were divided into two groups based on their scores on standard depression scales (i.e., high and low scoring groups). The initial experiments indicated that high-depressed groups followed the inaccurate instructions more persistently than the low-depressed groups, thus providing evidence to support that argument that depressive symptomolgy is characterized by excessive-rule following. Further experiments demonstrated that excessive-rule following among high depressed participants appeared to be restricted to socially-mediated rules (i.e., pliance) rather than rules mediated by direct contact with the non-arbitrary environment (tracks). These data support and extend previous research in the cognitive therapy literature. |
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| Behavioral Processes Underlying ACT Defusion Methods. A Clinical-Experimental Preparation |
| CARMEN LUCIANO SORIANO (University of Almeria, Spain), Francisco J. Molina-Cobos (University of Almeria, Spain), Sonsoles Valdivia-Salas (University of Almeria, Spain), Olga Gutierrez Martinez (University of Almeria, Spain), Dermot Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (National University of Ireland, Maynooth), Miguel Rodriguez-Valverde (University of Almeria, Spain) |
| Abstract: Comprehensive distancing, perspective-taking, cognitive defusion and the self as context are common issues that have been regarded as relevant in the clinical methods employed by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT uses several defusion strategies in a valued context in order to treat harmful experiential avoidance with successful results. However, the underlying processes need parsimonious analysis. The current paper is focused in analyzing the conditions under which the aversive functions of certain cognitive content can be altered by changing the verbal context in which this content is produced. More specifically, it is assumed that moving the content from the HERE and NOW to THERE and THEN will make a significant change given the sufficient psychological space for the person to act in a chosen direction. Acting in a valued direction was evaluated pre and post application of a clinical-experimental preparation which contained several interactions to move the aversive content from the HERE to THERE context. Thirty subjects took part in the study. Fifteen of them participated in an experimental condition, and another fifteen served as control condition. Results are discussed in terms of an understanding of these methods always in regard to a valued context for the subject. |
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