Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a form of psychotherapy and a clinical behavioral intervention based on Relational Frame Theory (RFT) (NIH, 2023). Unlike traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy, ACT does not focus on changing the content of problematic thoughts but rather on changing the individual's relationship with them (Association for Contextual Behavioral Science, 2024). The primary goal is to foster psychological flexibility, which allows individuals to stay in the present moment and persist in or change behavior based on their chosen values (Kashdan & Rottenberg, 2010). ACT is clinically indicated for a wide range of mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety, as well as managing the psychological impact of chronic physical illnesses like chronic pain (StatPearls, 2023). Because ACT is a psychological methodology rather than a biological molecule, it does not possess a molecular classification, a biochemical mechanism of action, or a pharmacological target profile (PubMed, 2024). It is frequently used as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy but does not interact with drugs at a molecular level (Wikipedia, 2024).

Other names

Contextual Cognitive Behavioral TherapyThird-Wave Behavior TherapyACT Therapy

Promotion of psychological flexibility through six core processes: acceptance, cognitive defusion, being present, self-as-context, values, and committed action (Hayes et al., 2006).