Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science最新文献

{"title":"Introduction to the special issue on process-based therapy","authors":"Clarissa W. Ong ,&nbsp;Stefan G. Hofmann ,&nbsp;Joseph Ciarrochi ,&nbsp;Ross G. Menzies ,&nbsp;Steven C. Hayes","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100874","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100874","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Process-based therapy (PBT) is a meta-theoretical approach to psychological assessment and intervention rooted in evolutionary science and focused on dynamic change processes within particular people in their unique context. Part of the aspiration of PBT is to integrate and streamline clinical expertise across theoretical orientations, to clarify the most efficient and effective means of reducing human suffering and promoting psychological prosperity. This special issue in the <em>Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science</em>, introduced by the current paper, is an initial step toward this goal. We present six articles, each highlighting a specific therapeutic approach, from acceptance and commitment therapy to existential therapy. These articles demonstrate how integrating PBT with existing models enhances the depth of case conceptualization and treatment planning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 100874"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143173508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Examining the effects of process-based therapy: A multiple baseline study","authors":"Clarissa W. Ong ,&nbsp;Kate Sheehan ,&nbsp;Adam J.D. Mann ,&nbsp;Estella Fox","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100875","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100875","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Process-based therapy (PBT) is a model of psychological assessment and treatment focused on processes of change within particular people in their unique context. Many theoretical articles have been published on PBT, but few empirical studies explicitly examining PBT exist. The current study aimed to examine the effects of PBT using a multiple baseline design (<em>N</em> = 5) with intensive longitudinal assessment from baseline to 6-month follow-up. Overall, idiographic outcomes improved over time, with effects varying by participant. Gains appeared to be maintained at 6-month follow-up for two of three participants. In addition, individual-level networks contained fewer pathways overall or more inhibitory pathways over time, indicating that the relationships among symptoms changed over the course of treatment. At the same time, extent of change in standardized outcomes across participants varied and certain pathways in participant networks were consistent at multiple timepoints, suggesting that treatment was not universally effective across problem indices. The present study provides a proof of concept for PBT delivery and underscores the need to consider person-level outcomes when evaluating treatment efficacy. Future directions and limitations, including small sample size, are discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 100875"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143174502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Contextual approach to emotional and psychological support for Malaysian adolescents: Feasibility and pilot outcomes","authors":"Jhia Mae Woo ,&nbsp;Cai Lian Tam ,&nbsp;Sharuna Verghis","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2024.100865","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2024.100865","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The call to action to develop and implement a culturally appropriate prevention program has become an important goal to remedy Malaysia's growing number of emotionally distressed adolescents. Contextual behavioural-based interventions are progressively favoured to support adolescents and young people. The present study primarily investigates the feasibility of implementing a prevention program for Malaysian adolescents using a culturally adapted Discoverer, Noticer, Advisor and Values (DNA-V) protocol. The study consisted of two phases. In Phase 1, the content and ecological validity of the culturally adapted protocol, the Time to <em>ACT</em>! (‘<em>TTA</em>’) protocol was examined by five experts using a concurrent transformative mixed-methods design. The content validity was evaluated using Lawshe's Content Validity Index, and the ecological validity was assessed using Bernal's Ecological Validity Model. In Phase 2, nineteen Malaysian secondary students were recruited for the pilot to test its feasibility and acceptability by assessing anxiety, stress, and psychological flexibility levels pre- and post-program, number of dropouts, and participants' receptiveness. Further refinement and finalisation of the protocol were made post-program. In Phase 1, recommendations by the experts were made to improve the importance and clarity criteria of the major components of language (i.e. translation of terms from English to Bahasa Malaysia), metaphor (i.e. symbolism in Malaysian context) and concepts (i.e. uses of DNA-V concepts and terminologies in the Malaysian context) to enhance the content validity and ecological sensitivity of the protocol. The results in Phase 2 showed no statistically significant differences in the reduction of anxiety, stress and psychological inflexibility. Nevertheless, participants' and experts' high endorsement of its application and content showed the program's feasibility and acceptability as a prevention program for Malaysian adolescents. Most contents remained in the final versions of the ‘<em>TTA</em>’ protocol, with few refinements of the terminologies in the Bahasa Malaysia version of the ‘<em>TTA</em>’ protocol. Main findings, strengths, limitations and future directions were discussed. This study acts as a stepping stone toward future improved trials which will benefit Malaysian adolescents' mental health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 100865"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143174508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A mixed methods study investigating alexithymia, experiential avoidance, and psychological distress: Insights into men with high externally oriented thinking","authors":"Rebecca O'Sullivan ,&nbsp;Jeeda Alhakim","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2024.100866","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2024.100866","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous research suggests that experiential avoidance mediates the relationship between alexithymia and psychological distress. However, concerns persist regarding the validity of:</div><div>1) mediation analyses in cross-sectional samples, 2) common measures of alexithymia and experiential avoidance, and 3) solely quantitative approaches to studying alexithymic individuals. This study addresses these gaps using a sequential explanatory methodology comprising of: 1) a quantitative phase employing improved psychometric questionnaires to examine relationships between alexithymia, experiential avoidance, and distress, and 2) a qualitative phase exploring the lived experiences of individuals with alexithymia. A sample of 211 UK adults replicated prior quantitative findings, showing strong positive correlations between experiential avoidance, alexithymia, and psychological distress. However, no link was found between the Externally Oriented Thinking (EOT) facet of alexithymia and psychological distress. This led to a qualitative investigation of men with EOT, analysed using template analysis, a codebook approach to Thematic Analysis. The combined results suggest that life experiences may drive avoidance of unwanted private experiences. Moreover, the qualitative findings indicate two mechanisms explaining EOT's lack of association with psychological distress. First, EOT may serve as a protective factor against positive and negative emotional affect. Second, patriarchal norms may encourage emotional suppression and avoidant coping, leading to underreporting distress in mood questionnaires. Important theoretical and clinical implications are discussed through a Counselling Psychology lens, leading to a critique of assumptions underlying modern therapeutic techniques that may contribute to social injustice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 100866"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143173506","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transforming strain into strength: Alleviating stress and burnout in special education teachers with ACT matrix intervention","authors":"Melissa Diaz ,&nbsp;Yors Garcia ,&nbsp;Tyler Ré ,&nbsp;Thomas Szabo","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100870","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100870","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the ACT Matrix in enhancing values-based behaviors and psychological flexibility among special education teachers, with a focus on alleviating self-reported stress and burnout. Using a mixed concurrent and non-concurrent multiple probe design, data were collected on in-session and out-session value-driven behaviors. In-session data were documented via a paper copy of the ACT Matrix, while out-session data were captured through a mobile application. The training spanned five weekly sessions, followed by a two-week post-study phase with continued data collection. Assessments were conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and during follow-up, focusing on burnout, stress, and psychological flexibility. Results indicated successful increases in the identification of both toward and away moves during sessions. Notably, out-session results showed a significant increase in toward moves for two participants, alongside a consistent decrease in avoidance behaviors, suggesting a sustainable impact of the training beyond the immediate intervention. Psychological flexibility and stress measures improved markedly from baseline to intervention for two participants, while burnout effects were mixed. Participants also rated the training as socially valid. The study discusses the implications of using ACT to reduce stress and burnout within behavior analysis framework.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 100870"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143173507","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Longitudinal associations between psychological flexibility and inflexibility dimensions: A cross-lagged panel network analysis","authors":"Wei (Gabriel) Qi ,&nbsp;Jie Wen ,&nbsp;Zhiwei Zhou,&nbsp;Miao Miao","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100877","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100877","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Psychological flexibility (PF) and psychological inflexibility (PI) are two contrasting concepts central in acceptance and commitment therapy. The multidimensional psychological flexibility inventory (MPFI) could comprehensively assess the 12 factors of PF and PI, thus providing a measure to examine their internal relationships. In the current study, we used the cross-lagged panel network approach to explore the longitudinal associations between the 12 PF/PI components. A sample of 447 Chinese adults (mean age = 31.19, <em>SD</em> = 6.41) completed an online survey at two timepoints. The cross-sectional network revealed the central roles of self-as-context, defusion, fusion and experiential avoidance. The cross-lagged panel network revealed that fusion, committed action, and self-as-context were influential nodes on other dimensions, whereas inaction and defusion had high levels of predictability. The current findings shed new light on the internal structure of the PF/PI components, and elucidated nodes that were central in the cross-sectional status and longitudinal changes. The identified nodes may help inform clinicians of potential loci for intervention, and clarify the theoretical connections within the complex network of psychological flexibility processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 100877"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143351004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acceptance and commitment therapy for couples: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Jorge Barraca ,&nbsp;Thomas Polanski ,&nbsp;Andrea Duarte-Díaz ,&nbsp;Lilisbeth Perestelo-Pérez","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2024.100867","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2024.100867","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Couple interventions have a long tradition, yet their effectiveness is generally less well-known than that of individual therapies, particularly within contextual therapies. Although Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has already gathered significant evidence of effectiveness in various psychological health problems and disorders, its application in the context of couple therapy has not been thoroughly analyzed. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted, involving a total of 17 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), examining effectiveness in various areas of couple functioning. The analyses revealed that ACT was more effective than passive control groups for alexithymia, anxiety, communication skills, fertility quality of life, marital intimacy, marital satisfaction, psychological well-being, physical health, and relational social functioning. It did not, however, have any significant effect on marital burnout, marital conflict, or conflict resolution. ACT was also effective in post-traumatic stress disorder, but in a joint intervention with Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). When compared with active controls, ACT was sometimes similar and sometimes inferior in results. For instance, ACT, Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy (IBCT), and CBCT all increased marital intimacy, but with no significant difference between them (<em>g</em> = −0.26, 95% CI: −0.98, 0.46; I² = 0%). ACT, IBCT and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFCT) also all helped social functioning, and EFCT and ACT both fostered forgiveness. However, CBCT was clearly superior to ACT in improving marital satisfaction (<em>g</em> = −1.23, 95% CI: −1.86, −0.59; I² = 0%) and ACT was also beaten out by Schema Therapy for fostering forgiveness. Imago therapy seems to help anxiety more than ACT while ACT helped more with physical health. The RCTs included in the review exhibit a significant series of biases and limitations, which were analyzed in detail. Taking these limitations into account, although ACT can be a promising therapy for some couple difficulties, it still needs to gather more evidence of effectiveness with new, better-controlled studies, carried out in a wider variety of countries and cultures, with well-defined protocols and comparisons with active controls like EFCT, IBCT, and CBCT, all of which have more empirical support.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 100867"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143174505","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Examining item content across nine psychological (in)flexibility scales: What do they measure?","authors":"Clarissa W. Ong ,&nbsp;Alexa M. Skolnik ,&nbsp;Hannah M. Johnson ,&nbsp;Eric B. Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100872","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100872","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Psychological inflexibility and flexibility are central to the model of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). As such, it is critical to assess these constructs accurately and reliably to provide robust tests of ACT theory. One measurement aspect to consider is the content covered by scales purported to assess the same construct. The present study provides a description of content included in nine psychological flexibility and inflexibility scales and evaluates the degree of content overlap across scales using the Jaccard Index. Overall, we found that the scales overwhelmingly focused on internal experiences (78.5% of items), with the most common type being emotions/feelings (41.1%) and thoughts (28.2%). In addition, the Jaccard Index indicated very weak overlap with respect to item content, suggesting that the constructs of psychological flexibility and inflexibility are measured inconsistently, compromising our ability to pool data from different studies. The Comprehensive Assessment of ACT Processes (CompACT) and Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (MPFI) had the highest mean overlap scores. Despite broad consensus, the lack of overlap when considering precise categories and item content underscores the need to clarify definitions of psychological flexibility and inflexibility for measurement and practice greater transparency when reporting on study measures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 100872"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143174501","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A systematic review and narrative synthesis of the complex interplay between psychological flexibility and sleep health","authors":"Emma Ryan,&nbsp;Denisha O'Neill,&nbsp;Sinéad Smyth","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100871","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100871","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Sleep has been recognised as a growing health concern, with research suggesting a link between psychological flexibility, a core concept in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and sleep-related outcomes. While previous work has outlined correlational associations, the complexity of these relationships remains poorly understood. Our systematic review aims to comprehensively elucidate the nuanced interplay between psychological flexibility and sleep health alongside implications of their relationships across diverse populations.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We carried out searches in four electronic databases (PsycInfo, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL) on February 9th, 2024. Following title and abstract screening, 209 full texts were screened and 29 studies that met our inclusion criteria were identified. A narrative synthesis was conducted to synthesise data from the included studies.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Psychological flexibility was identified as an important predictor of sleep health, with acceptance and cognitive defusion emerging as particularly critical components of psychological flexibility. The majority of studies examined psychological flexibility as a predictor, mediator, and moderator, with a minority exploring the role of sleep as a risk and protective factor. Moreover, there was evidence of additional risk factors beyond flexibility, namely anxiety sensitivity dimensions, in predicting poor sleep-related outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our review highlights the complexity of the relationships between psychological flexibility and sleep health. Despite measurement considerations impacting the interpretation of findings, our results provide foundations for future research endeavours aimed at refining theoretical models, designing targeted interventions, and ultimately improving sleep health, psychological flexibility, and mental well-being for individuals facing various psychological and physiological challenges.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 100871"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143176230","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Feasibility of a brief, remote self-compassion intervention for employed mothers","authors":"S. Balzarotti ,&nbsp;I. Telazzi ,&nbsp;L. Vismara ,&nbsp;G. Campi ,&nbsp;S. Dal Santo ,&nbsp;G. Mazzei","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2024.100855","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2024.100855","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although existing literature suggests that working mothers’ mental health is challenged by several sources of psychological stress, few interventions have targeted this population. The present study investigated the feasibility and potential utility of a newly developed 2-week self-compassion intervention for enhancing well-being among Italian working mothers.</div><div>Eighty working mothers agreed to participate in the study (mean age 45.20, SD = 10.63, age range 25–60). The intervention lasted two weeks and was delivered remotely. Using a pre–post within-subjects design, feasibility was assessed in multiple domains (recruitment capability, acceptability, implementation, practicality). Moreover, participants completed both baseline and post-intervention assessments of well-being measures (i.e., perceived stress, positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, and flourishing) to preliminarily evaluate pre-to post-intervention changes. The results showed that the intervention was feasible in all the domains evaluated. Participants showed significant improvements in pre–post scores of positive affect and satisfaction with life, as well as significant decreases in negative affect and perceived stress. We observed larger effect sizes for negative symptoms compared to positive outcomes.</div><div>Overall, our findings suggest that a brief, remote, self-compassion intervention may be a feasible way of promoting mental health among working mothers and warrants additional intervention development and testing with rigorous study designs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"35 ","pages":"Article 100855"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142759089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}