Disrupting Verbal Processes: Cognitive Defusion in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Other Mindfulness-Based Psychotherapies

The interfering effect of emotional stimulus functions on stimulus equivalence class formation: implications for the understanding and treatment of anxiety

“…In addition, it attempts to alter the context for the derived transfer of avoidance functions, rather than eliminate the derived avoidance altogether. For instance, a widely used ACT technique known as defusion (see Masuda, Hayes, Sackett & Twohig, 2004) is viewed as altering the context for the derived transformation of avoidance functions, while leaving the relevant verbal relations intact (see Blackledge, 2007). Thus, the aim is to alter the response functions of thoughts and other private events, rather than trying to alter their form, frequency or situational sensitivity (Hayes & Wilson, 1994).…”

The effects of cognitive defusion and thought distraction on emotional discomfort and believability of negative self-referential thoughts

“…Cognitive defusion is roughly conceptualized as altering the literal meaning and behavior-regulatory function of private events without necessarily altering the form, frequency, or situational sensitivity of these events (Blackledge, 2007).…”

Treating Adolescents with Family-Based Mindfulness

“…It is by identifying and anticipating cognitive stimuli that activate dysfunctional beliefs that we can become capable of defusing and unattaching from the associated thoughts and feelings. With a different pairing of stimulus and response, Cognitive Defusion the stimulus function is transformed (Blackledge, 2007 ). Cognitive defusion is not intended to change the way people think about their experiences, but rather to disrupt a dysfunctional stimulus-response function by providing a new context that involves "stepping back from dysfunctional thoughts and noticing them as beliefs rather than simply as facts" (p. 557).…”