Acceptance and mindfulness-based therapy: new wave or old hat?
Stefan G Hofmann1, Gordon J G Asmundson2
1Department of Psychology, Boston University, 648 Beacon Street, 6th Floor, Boston, MA 02215-2002, United States.
Clinical Psychology Review
|October 2, 2007
Summary
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) targets early emotion regulation, while Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) addresses emotional responses. Both therapies promote adaptive strategies, with ACT techniques complementing CBT for enhanced emotional disorder treatment.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychotherapy Research
Background:
- Contemporary approaches to emotional disorders include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
- These therapies offer distinct strategies for emotion regulation, a key factor in psychological well-being.
- Understanding their differences is crucial for optimizing treatment interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare and contrast Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT).
- To contextualize these therapies within the broader framework of emotion regulation.
- To clarify the distinct mechanisms and targets of ACT and CBT.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of ACT and CBT principles and techniques.
- Synthesis of existing literature on emotion regulation strategies.
- Juxtaposition of antecedent-focused versus response-focused emotion regulation.
Main Results:
- CBT primarily employs antecedent-focused emotion regulation, modifying emotional cues.
- ACT utilizes acceptance strategies to counteract maladaptive response-focused emotion regulation, such as emotional suppression.
- Both therapies promote adaptive emotion regulation but target different stages of the emotional process.
Conclusions:
- ACT and CBT represent distinct yet compatible approaches to emotion regulation in treating emotional disorders.
- ACT's techniques can augment CBT, potentially leading to improved therapeutic outcomes.
- Further research is warranted to explore combined interventions and their efficacy across various disorders.
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