Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Health Behavior Change: A Contextually-Driven Approach

Abstract

Promoting health behavior change presents an important challenge to theory and research in the field of health psychology. In this paper, we introduce a context-driven approach, the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) model which is built on Relational Frame Theory. The ACT-based intervention aims to promote individuals’ new health behavior patterns through the improvement of the key construct of psychological flexibility, which is defined as the ability to contact the present moment more fully with acceptance and mindfulness as a conscious human being. Building on the psychological flexibility model, implemented through the six core ACT processes, individuals improve maintenance of long term health behavior change through committed acts in service of chosen values while acknowledging and accepting the existence of contrary thoughts, rules, and emotions as part of themselves but not determinant of their behaviors. Taking advantage of this context-driven approach of health behavior change, we recommend researchers and practitioners to design their health behavior change intervention programs based on ACT.

Posttraumatic growth moderates the effect of posttraumatic stress on quality of life in U.S. military veterans with life-threatening illness or injury

“…Psychological interventions using cognitive-behavioral principles, such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT; [32,33]), can be helpful in reducing the resistance to and avoidance of distressing thoughts and emotions related to stressful health conditions by using mindfulness and by setting goals that are meaningful to the individual. Research is emerging about the effectiveness of ACT in treating a range of mental and physical health problems [1], and for promoting health-behavior change [89].…”

Forms, interactions, and responses to social support: A qualitative study of support and adherence to photoprotection amongst patients with Xeroderma Pigmentosum

“…Negative responders would benefit from therapeutic strategies, such as linking life values with desired behaviour (i.e., better photoprotection; Zhang et al, 2018), to reduce feelings of difference and promote acceptance. We consider that these findings can inform intervention at the individual level to improve adherence to photoprotection in XP in the United Kingdom.…”

“…For support to be a facilitator of adherence, barriers to perceiving it as helpful (i.e., enabling a positive response) should also be targeted. Negative responders would benefit from therapeutic strategies, such as linking life values with desired behaviour (i.e., better photoprotection; Zhang et al, 2018), to reduce feelings of difference and promote acceptance. Exploration of the pros and cons of an individual's current use of their network could be discussed, in conjunction with their willingness to disclose.…”

Complex lifestyle intervention among inactive older adults with elevated cardiovascular disease risk and obesity. A mixed-method, single-arm feasibility study for RESTART- a randomized controlled trial

“…In the habit change counselling group sessions, we used selfregulation theory by Implementation Intentions (IIs) (47). To enforce habit change in the RESTART trial we plan ve 2-hour group sessions, combining IIs with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) (74).…”

“…ACT utilizes concepts of mindfulness and acceptance to identify values and goals in life and is proven effective among older adults (75). By this approach we aim to increase the likelihood that participants actually establish their new health-facilitating behaviour in their everyday life as healthy habits (76).…”