Theory
What is the primary goal of ACT?
To increase psychological flexibility
A therapist gives a client a ____ ____ asks them to pull their fingers apart to escape to illustrate that the harder they pull, the more stuck they become.
A client avoids social events because they fear being judged. What ACT concept does this demonstrate?
Experiential avoidance
What does ACT stand for?
Acceptance and committment therapy
What are the six core processes of the ACT Hexaflex?
Acceptance, defusion, present moment, self-as-context, values, and committed action.
According to ACT _____ _____ and _____ _____ underlying psychological distress.
experiential avoidance & cognitive fusion
This metaphor uses a _____ scenario to illustrate why struggling against difficult experiences can make things worse, often making you sink farther.
quicksand metaphor
A student says, "If I fail this exam, it proves I'm not smart enough to become a psychologist and will be a failure in life." What ACT concept is illustrated?
What does DOTS stand for?
Distraction, opting out, thinking strategies, substances/other strategies
Lee thinks, "I'm a failure." What ACT process could help Lee notice this thought without treating it as a fact?
Cognitive defusion
contextual functionalism, relational frame theory, and behavioral anaylsis
This graphic helps clients examine whether their current behaviors move them toward or away from the life they want to live, based on their personally identified values.
Bullseye
Maya thinks, "I'm going to embarrass myself," before giving a presentation. She reminds herself, "I'm having the thought that I'm going to embarrass myself." What ACT process is she using?
Cognitive defusion
Does does DARE stand for?
Which process involves allowing uncomfortable thoughts and feelings to exist without trying to change or eliminate them?
Acceptance
____ _____ _____ refers to the idea that we group human language into categories that are related based on our own perception/experiences which impact our emotions and behaviors in specific ways.
relational frame theory
Describe the image manipulation intervention and the purpose of this intervention.
Individuals use their imagination to manipulate an image such as distorting the size, color, and shape in order to attenuate their psychological response to that specific stimulus.
A client identifies becoming a licensed psychologist as an important goal. The therapist asks what becoming a psychologist represents to them and the qualities they want to embody along the way. What distinction is the therapist helping the client explore?
The difference between values and goals
Fusion, excessive goals, avoidance, remoteness from values
Which three Hexaflex processes are most directly involved when a client notices a negative thought without automatically believing it?
Why does ACT not focus on reducing psychological distress?
Focusing on the distress may amplify it. Instead, focusing on what brings an individual meaning often increases their well-being theraby reducing their distress as a by product.
The guided imagery where individuals imagine walking through a house noting the difference between the items in the house and the light illuminating the items is intended to illustrate which concept?
self-as-context
A client reports that they have become very good at identifying and analyzing the origins of their negative thoughts. However, they continue to struggle with the negative thoughts and same behavioral patterns. How might an ACT therapist conceptualize this including the approach to negative thoughts?
Insight into the origins or content of thoughts does not necessarily change one's relationship with those thoughts or alter behavior. ACT emphasizes exploring whether thoughts and behaviors are workdable rather than simply understanding or changing their content. Thoughts/behaviors must be understood within their context.
What does NOTICE stand for? (Hint: It's an intervention)
Noises, Oxygen, Thoughts, Insides, Company, Environment.
emotion, insight, dead person