An Acceptance-Based Behavioral Therapy for Individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Sarah A Hayes-Skelton, Susan M Orsillo, Lizabeth Roemer
Cognitive and Behavioral Practice April 17, 2011 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpra.2011.02.005 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Acceptance Based Behavioral Therapy (ABBT) |
| Topics | Anxiety |
| Key points | Proposes that ABBT, which integrates acceptance and mindfulness strategies with traditional behavior therapy, targets the rigid, avoidant responses characteristic of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and helps clients act in line with personally meaningful values rather than anxiety avoidance. Illustrates this approach through a session-by-session case conceptualization of a composite client, 'William.' |
Abstract
In response to clinical observations and research findings that individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder are reactive to their internal experiences, avoid and suppress painful emotions, thoughts, and sensations, and limit their involvement in meaningful activities, an Acceptance Based Behavioral Therapy (ABBT) was developed to specifically target these responses. ABBT incorporates acceptance and mindfulness strategies with more traditional behavior therapy techniques. Specifically, ABBT uses mindfulness and acceptance approaches as an alternate response to the rigid, avoidant responses characteristic of GAD. Likewise, therapy focuses on identifying and enacting behaviors that are congruent with what is personally meaningful to the client rather than engaging in actions that are motivated by avoidance of anxiety. This article provides a case conceptualization from an ABBT perspective for "William," the composite client presented in Robichaud (this issue). The article goes on to demonstrate how an ABBT approach to treatment may unfold session-by-session for "William."
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on anxiety, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychedelics as Medicines: An Emerging New Paradigm General population | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Learning to Let Go: A Cognitive-Behavioral Model of How Psychedelic Therapy Promotes Acceptance | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Taking Psychedelics Seriously | 2018 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How could MDMA (ecstasy) help anxiety disorders? A neurobiological rationale | 2009 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Embedding existential psychology within psychedelic science: reduced death anxiety as a mediator of the therapeutic effects of psychedelics | 2019 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |