Acceptance and commitment therapy reduces perceived ostracism in suicidal patients

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Behavioral Therapy

Background:

• Ostracism is a significant risk factor for depression and suicidal behaviors.
• Mindfulness-based therapies, like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), show potential in mitigating social distress and negative emotions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of ACT compared to Progressive Relaxation Therapy (PRT) in reducing social distress among individuals with a history of recent suicide attempts.
• To explore the relationship between changes in social distress and core therapeutic processes in ACT.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 32 patients with a history of suicide attempt in the past year.
• Participants received either seven weekly sessions of ACT or PRT.
• Social distress was assessed using the Cyberball Game and the Need Threat Scale (NTS) at baseline and post-therapy.

Main Results:

• ACT significantly reduced social distress compared to PRT, independent of its effects on depressive symptoms.
• Post-intervention NTS scores were lower (indicating less social distress) in the ACT group.
• Improvements in social distress were correlated with increased mindfulness, decreased cognitive fusion, and increased acceptance.

Conclusions:

• ACT demonstrates a therapeutic potential for managing social pain associated with ostracism.
• The findings highlight ACT's role in reducing suicidal ideation by addressing social distress.
• ACT's effectiveness in reducing social pain is linked to improvements in mindfulness, cognitive fusion, and acceptance.