What are common Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) interventions?

From the Guidelines

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a common intervention used to manage various mental health conditions, including anxiety and depression.

Common ACT Interventions

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): often used in conjunction with ACT to manage anxiety and depression 1
• Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT): used to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression 1
• Psycho-education: used to educate patients about their condition and treatment options 1
• Exercise: shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety 1
• Mindfulness-based interventions: associated with reduced severity of depression and anxiety 1

Key Components of ACT

• Acceptance: encouraging patients to accept their thoughts and emotions without judgment
• Commitment: helping patients commit to making changes in their behavior
• Values-based action: helping patients identify their core values and take action towards achieving them

Evidence-Based Recommendations

The use of ACT as an intervention for managing anxiety and depression is supported by several studies 1. However, more research is needed to fully understand its effectiveness and to develop guidelines for its use in clinical practice.

From the Research

Common ACT Interventions

• Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a third-wave behavioral and cognitive therapy that increases psychological flexibility through mindfulness, acceptance, and value-driven behavior change 2
• The core concepts of ACT include six core processes: cognitive defusion, acceptance, being present, values, committed action, and self as context 3
• ACT interventions focus on helping patients improve their psychological flexibility to accept unavoidable private events and invest energy in committed actions rather than struggling against their psychological events 3
• Treatment approaches include a collaborative, client-centered approach to define valued life directions and commit to action based on those values 4
• ACT presents a method of approaching problems that is structured to support clients in finding a life beyond trauma that has value 4

Key Components of ACT Interventions

• Mindfulness: increasing awareness and acceptance of the present moment 2, 3
• Acceptance: promoting acceptance of private events rather than trying to modify or change them 3, 5
• Values: helping clients identify and commit to actions consistent with their personal values 4, 5
• Committed action: encouraging clients to take action towards their valued life directions 4, 3
• Cognitive defusion: reducing the impact of negative thoughts and increasing psychological flexibility 3

Delivery of ACT Interventions

• ACT interventions can be delivered by a variety of professionals, including therapists, general healthcare workers, and laypeople 2
• Interventions can be delivered in various settings, including individual and group sessions, and can be adapted for different populations and needs 2, 3