Duckhyun Jo , Lorra Garey , Brooke Y. Redmond , Justin M. Shepherd , Michael J. Zvolensky
{"title":"Latent profiles of processes in acceptance and commitment therapy and their associations with eating disorder symptoms among adult women","authors":"Duckhyun Jo , Lorra Garey , Brooke Y. Redmond , Justin M. Shepherd , Michael J. Zvolensky","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100899","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100899","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study examined the latent profiles of processes in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to enhance the sensitivity of acceptance- and mindfulness-based interventions, particularly in the prevention of eating disorder symptoms among non-clinical female adults. A sample of 1347 female adults was recruited from a large public university in Hawaii, and latent profile analysis was employed to identify distinct groups based on ACT processes measured by the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (MPFI). The study also explored the influence of participants' racial backgrounds and sexual orientations on the formation of these profiles, as well as the association between the identified profiles and eating disorder symptoms. The analysis revealed a five-profile solution, indicating that racial background and sexual orientation statistically significantly influenced profile categorization. Profiles characterized by high psychological flexibility and low psychological inflexibility were generally linked to lower levels of eating disorder symptoms. Notably, some profiles, such as the Moderately Flexible and Inflexible groups, necessitated a nuanced interpretation regarding their relationship with eating disorder symptoms. These findings emphasize the variability in individuals’ experiences of ACT processes and a person-centered approach in examining the associations between ACT processes and eating disorder symptoms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100899"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143904513","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":"Nonarbitrary relational responding and early math development in young children","authors":"Maithri Sivaraman , Elle Kirsten , Xiaoyuan Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100901","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100901","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Relational Frame Theory (RFT) sees the operant acquisition of various patterns of relational responding as being key to language and cognition. Interventions that apply RFT have been shown to be effective, are increasingly more prevalent, and seem to have wide-ranging benefits including increases in intelligence scores and academic performance. Nonarbitrary relations (i.e., relations based on formal properties) are said to be a key precursor that facilitates arbitrary relations in young children. Despite the importance of this repertoire, very few studies have investigated its development. Similarly, although relational responding is said to be an overarching higher-order operant that can be applied to any stimulus content, the specific relationship (if any) between nonarbitrary relational responding and early mathematical skills remains unknown. In the present study, we measured nonarbitrary relational responding in a sample of 43 neurotypical and neurodiverse children between the ages of 2–6 years across six relational frames and four response topographies and assessed their mathematics problem solving. We found that nonarbitrary relational responding improved with age, was strongly correlated with mathematical ability, and there was a significant difference in scores between the neurotypical and neurodivergent groups. We also found some differences between response topographies and specific contextual cues.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100901"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143927537","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":"Comparing cognitive coping components: An investigation of treatment outcomes and processes","authors":"Andy D. Wall, Eric B. Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100893","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100893","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Both traditional cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy appear to be efficacious treatment packages for adult depression based on past research. Furthermore, some of the cognitive components of these treatments, cognitive restructuring and defusion, seem to produce similar outcomes and work through similar processes, despite theoretical opposition. While cognitive defusion has been extensively studied, its counterpart, willingness, has yet to receive the same level of empirical attention. Therefore, the aim of this study was to clarify the differences in treatment outcomes and processes between the cognitive components of CBT and ACT. Individuals with moderate to severe levels of depression symptoms took part in a week-long, online intervention meant to help them cope with a self-relevant, unwanted/unpleasant thought. Participants were randomly assigned to practice either cognitive restructuring or defusion & willingness by using daily thought logs. Both within-and-between subjects effects were examined and revealed that both interventions provided benefit to participants through shared processes. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed along with future directions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100893"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143876730","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":"Post-traumatic stress, cognitive fusion, and intolerance of uncertainty as longitudinal predictors of post-traumatic growth from the COVID-19 pandemic","authors":"L. Brooke Short, Rong Xia, William H. O'Brien","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100894","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100894","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The COVID-19 pandemic was a significant stressor that posed threats to life and ways of living. The harmful psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been well documented, but positive psychological changes can also follow significant stressors. These changes are referred to as post-traumatic growth (PTG). The present study explored how PTG may develop from a contextual behavioral science perspective. Intolerance of uncertainty and cognitive fusion were longitudinally examined as predictors of PTG from the COVID-19 pandemic in a national United States sample. Self-report data were collected from Amazon Mechanical Turk Workers (MTurk) at three time points between April and November of 2020 as part of a larger study. Results indicated that higher levels of PTS, higher intolerance of uncertainty, and lower cognitive fusion in April 2020 each predicted greater PTG in June 2020 but did not predict change in PTG the next four months. Intolerance of uncertainty and cognitive fusion interacted to predict PTG from June to November with intolerance of uncertainty predicting more growth when cognitive fusion was high and less growth when cognitive fusion was low. Cognitive fusion and intolerance of uncertainty were thus found to be significant predictors of PTG that interacted with each other and varied as a function of time. Explanations for their involvement in the development of PTG across time are offered.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100894"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143873131","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":"Art in context: A multi-level analysis of art","authors":"Louis Busch , Albert Malkin , Jordan Belisle","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100890","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100890","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Experiencing art, both as the artist and observer, plays a major role in experiencing humanity. The current paper approaches art through a behavioral lens rooted in functional contextualism, where producing and observing art are behaviors that emerge and evolve within a multilevel functional context, encompassing natural selection, operant selection, and cultural selection. At the biological level, evolutionary pressures have shaped neurological processes and physiological responses that support artistic engagement. At the operant level, relational frame theory provides insights into how language and experience transform the function of art, and, bi-directionally, how art transforms human experience. At the cultural level, art propagates shared practices and values through mechanisms like metacontingencies and cultural cusps, facilitating intergenerational transmission and societal change. Potential applications include therapeutic interventions leveraging art to promote psychological flexibility, educational initiatives fostering artistic appreciation, and community programs enhancing collective resilience. By integrating biological, behavioral, and cultural perspectives, this analysis highlights art's unique role as a dynamic, adaptive component of human life, capable of enriching and transforming individual and collective experiences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100890"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143808316","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":"Masculinity, social connection, and loneliness: A contextual behavioral science approach to men's social relationships and intimacy","authors":"Elizabeth C. Neilson, Daniel W.M. Maitland","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100892","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100892","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Loneliness—the discrepancy between actual and desired levels of social connection—is a pervasive public health concern. Research suggests that many men report loneliness and desire more intimate relationships. The Interpersonal Process Model of Intimacy posits that intimacy, the meaningful connection between two individuals, is a critical variable in preventing loneliness and develops through a bidirectional process of vulnerable self-disclosure, responsiveness, and perceived partner responsiveness. This manuscript applies the Interpersonal Process Model of Intimacy, as interpreted from a contextual behavior science lens, to contextualize the existing research on masculinity and men's social relationships to inform future research and clinical practice. We review the research on men's engagement in different components of the model (vulnerable self-disclosure, responsiveness, perceived partner responsiveness), emphasizing how masculinity informs men's behavior. Research indicates that men often do not engage in behaviors essential to a contextual behavioral model of intimacy (e.g., vulnerable emotions, distress, or asking for help) because such behaviors are inconsistent with masculinity. Research also indicates men often do not acknowledge others' disclosures or respond with judgment or confusion. Men may also perceive responsiveness as stressful due to social proscriptions regarding receiving help. We discuss implications for research and clinical interventions to ameliorate men's loneliness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100892"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143876729","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}
Golnaz Atefi , Wolfgang Viechtbauer , Sara Czaja , Rosalie J.M. van Knippenberg , Lieve Van den Block , Joran Geeraerts , Frans R.J. Verhey , Marjolein E. de Vugt , Sara Laureen Bartels
{"title":"Momentary appraisals of uncontrollable and unpredictable events predict caregiver well-being: Evidence from an experience sampling study","authors":"Golnaz Atefi , Wolfgang Viechtbauer , Sara Czaja , Rosalie J.M. van Knippenberg , Lieve Van den Block , Joran Geeraerts , Frans R.J. Verhey , Marjolein E. de Vugt , Sara Laureen Bartels","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100889","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100889","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>Family caregivers of people with dementia are at risk of chronic stress, which can adversely affect their mental well-being. Understanding how daily stressors impact caregivers is crucial for developing effective support strategies.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This experience sampling study involved spousal caregivers of home-dwelling individuals with dementia. Data on caregivers' appraisals of daily events and their emotional and behavioural responses were collected over six weeks. The association between perceived controllability and unpredictability of events and caregivers' responses, and how these responses predicted future mental well-being outcomes was analysed using a multi-level modelling.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Family caregivers who perceived events as less controllable experienced higher momentary negative affect (B = −.10, SE = .01, p < .001) and lower momentary positive affect (B = .18, SE = .02, p < .001). Similarly, more unpredictable events were associated with lower positive (B = −.05, SE = .01, p < .01) and higher negative momentary affect (B = .03, SE = .01, p < .05). These stressors were also related to reduced engagement in meaningful activities (B = −.09, SE = .02, p < .001) and lower social participation (B = −.03, SE = .01, p < .01). Greater affective reactivity to unpredictable events was linked to increasing stress (B = −24.62, SE = 12.10, p < .05) and decreasing sense of competence (B = −24.86, SE = 11.29, p < .05) over time. Within- and between-person variability of variables was observed.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Uncontrollable and unpredictable events seem to significantly impact some mental well-being outcomes of dementia caregivers. Future research should further investigate the cause of these stressors and whether they are dementia-specific, also using idionomic methods.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100889"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143821107","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}
Jennifer Krafft, Ashley C. Middleton, Natalie Tadros
{"title":"Is the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory Short Form valid for ecological momentary assessment? A preliminary psychometric investigation","authors":"Jennifer Krafft, Ashley C. Middleton, Natalie Tadros","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100903","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100903","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory (MPFI), and its short form, the MPFI-24, have demonstrated strong psychometric properties in assessing all components of psychological flexibility and inflexibility (Gregoire et al., 2020; Rolffs et al., 2018). However, these measures have not been validated for their use in ecological momentary assessment (EMA), a methodology that is important for understanding within-person change processes and furthering the progress of contextual behavioral science. Therefore, we conducted a preliminary psychometric investigation of the MPFI-EMA, a version of the MPFI-24 adapted for EMA, in a U.S. college student sample (n = 126). Our results provide support for the validity and reliability of the MPFI-EMA. However, validity for assessing within-person variability remained unclear, psychometric limitations were observed for some subscales, and reactivity over time occurred for the MPFI-EMA Psychological Inflexibility scale and specific subscales. Limitations include the use of novel cutoffs, as criteria for psychometric validation within EMA are not well-established, and the need for replication in diverse samples, including clinical populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100903"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144107613","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}
Atiyya Nisar , Richard C. Watkins , Duncan Gillard , Corinna F. Grindle , Paul A. Thompson , Jane Pegram , Richard P. Hastings
{"title":"Adding implementation support to a universal Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-based school well-being intervention: A cluster-randomised controlled trial","authors":"Atiyya Nisar , Richard C. Watkins , Duncan Gillard , Corinna F. Grindle , Paul A. Thompson , Jane Pegram , Richard P. Hastings","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100886","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100886","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Implementation support is a key factor in the success of school-based well-being programmes. To assess the impact on children's well-being of providing additional implementation support for staff delivering a universal Acceptance and Commitment Therapy informed well-being curriculum (‘Connect PSHE’) compared to delivery without support. Twenty schools were recruited and randomised to deliver Connect PSHE with additional support (<em>n</em> = 10; n = 323 children) or Connect PSHE with the standard support (<em>n</em> = 10; n = 422 children). A two-arm, parallel-group cluster-randomised (schools as clusters) controlled trial design was utilised. Additional implementation support had no impact on the primary well-being measure (Me and My Feelings scale) at post-test (<em>β</em> = 0.22, <em>95 % CI</em> [-0.59, 1.03], <em>p</em> = 0.59). Small improvements were observed in the additional support arm for two subscales of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Overall, both trial arms were associated with improvements in children's well-being. Connect PSHE is a promising well-being programme suitable for testing in additional research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100886"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143629110","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}
Yash Bhambhani , Laurie Gallo , Emily O. McNamara , Angela L Stotts , Vilma Gabbay
{"title":"Persisting with purpose: Using acceptance and commitment therapy to target comorbid opioid use disorder and chronic pain in a racially and economically marginalized population","authors":"Yash Bhambhani , Laurie Gallo , Emily O. McNamara , Angela L Stotts , Vilma Gabbay","doi":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100888","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jcbs.2025.100888","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Opioid use disorder (OUD) and chronic pain (CP) are commonly comorbid health conditions that cause significant disability, distress, and mortality. Treatment for these conditions is impacted by drop out and presence of other psychiatric conditions. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is an effective intervention to treat chronic pain and substance use disorders, however this intervention has not been systematically evaluated for treatment of comorbid OUD and CP, especially in a racially and economically marginalized population. In this paper we describe development of such an ACT manual, using an intervention mapping approach. While the manual pays close attention to opioid use and chronic pain, it includes transdiagnostic principles that target overall psychological well-being including a deep emphasis on expanding valued living. We incorporated trauma informed care, cultural humility, and harm reduction principles in the development of nine ACT skills that are easy to understand and scalable. The treatment manual centers economically and racially marginalized patients who are traditionally underrepresented in psychological research. This manual is currently being evaluated in clinical trial NCT05039554 with funding from the NIH HEAL project #RM1DA055437. The treatment manual and handouts are freely available for use and included.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47544,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science","volume":"36 ","pages":"Article 100888"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143629109","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}