The extended evolutionary meta-model and process-based therapy: Contemporary lenses for understanding functional...

Area of Science:

• Psychotherapy Research
• Behavioral Science
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) is a process-based therapy focusing on idiographically defined targets and behavioral principles.
• Recent advancements in process-based therapy (PBT) incorporate an extended evolutionary meta-model (EEMM).

Purpose of the Study:

• To articulate how FAP aligns with current PBT conceptualizations.
• To explore how embracing PBT can enhance therapeutic outcomes by broadening the view of clinically relevant behaviors.
• To examine EEMM dimensions as clinically relevant behaviors within FAP.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis integrating FAP with PBT and EEMM.
• Exploration of EEMM dimensions as clinically relevant behaviors.
• Discussion of established FAP interventions applied to EEMM dimensions.
• Application of the expanded FAP conceptualization to a case example.

Main Results:

• FAP can be effectively integrated into a PBT framework.
• Viewing behaviors as interrelated processes within PBT enhances therapeutic potential.
• EEMM dimensions offer a framework for understanding clinically relevant behaviors in FAP.
• Established FAP techniques can be applied to specific EEMM dimensions.

Conclusions:

• Integrating FAP with PBT and EEMM offers a more comprehensive approach to psychotherapy.
• This expanded conceptualization can lead to enhanced therapeutic outcomes.
• Future research should further explore FAP within a process-based treatment approach.