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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): A Third Wave Behaviour Therapy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2008

Chris Cullen
Chris Cullen*
Affiliation:
Keele University and North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, UK
*
Reprint requests to Chris Cullen, Clinical Director, Psychological Services, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust, 3rd Floor, London House, Hide Street, Stoke-on-Trent ST4 1NF, UK. E-mail: chris.cullen@northstaffs.nhs.uk
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Abstract

This paper introduces Acceptance and commitment Therapy (ACT) as one of the newer contextualist behaviour therapies. A brief history of the development of ACT is outlined. The concepts of equivalence and laterality and the important relationship between Relational Frame Theory and ACT are then described. The “hexagram” summary of the six core linked processes in ACT is presented and, finally, the research evidence to support the effectiveness of ACT applied to a range of clinical conditions and client groups is summarized.

Keywords

ACTbehaviour therapythird wave therapiescontextual therapies
Type
New and Emerging Areas
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 36 , Issue 6: Developments in the Theory and Practice of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies , November 2008 , pp. 667 - 673
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2008

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