OTHER ISSUES
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are both widely used and evidence-based treatments that can be applied to a range of psychological disorders.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying and changing negative patterns of thought and behavior. It is based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected, and that by changing one aspect of this triad, we can change the others. CBT has been found to be effective in treating a wide range of disorders including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and OCD.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is another form of psychotherapy that can be effective in treating a range of disorders. ACT focuses on helping people to accept and live with their thoughts and feelings, rather than trying to avoid or eliminate them. ACT also encourages people to commit to taking action towards values-based goals, even in the presence of difficult thoughts and feelings. ACT has been found to be effective in treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, chronic pain, and substance abuse disorders.
CBT and ACT can also be used to address life stress, grief, relationship issues, prevention of psychosis, and trauma. For example, CBT has been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of grief and promoting adjustment to loss. ACT can also be applied to help individuals cope with life stress, relationship issues, and trauma by helping them to focus on the present and accept their thoughts and feelings without judgment.
Both CBT and ACT have been found to be effective in treating a wide range of disorders. A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology in 2016 found that both CBT and ACT were effective in treating a range of disorders including depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance abuse disorders. Another study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology in 2010 found that both CBT and ACT were effective in treating a range of disorders with no significant differences between the two treatments.
References:
Kuppens, P., Real, E., & Allik, J. (2008). The role of individual and situational characteristics in the experience of discrete emotions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 95(4), 877-891.
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy: The process and practice of mindful change (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Luoma, J. B., Hayes, S. C., & Walser, R. D. (2007). Learning ACT: An acceptance and commitment therapy skills-training manual for therapists. New Harbinger Publications.
Roemer, L., & Orsillo, S. M. (2002). Expanding our conceptualization of and treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: Integrating mindfulness/acceptance-based approaches with existing cognitive-behavioral models. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 9(1), 54-68