ACT in Context: An Exploration of Experiential Acceptance

Jennifer Block-Lerner, Edelgard Wulfert, Erica Moses

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

Experiential acceptance, which involves "having," or "allowing" private experiences, has recently gained much attention in the cognitive-behavioral literature. Acceptance, however, may be considered a common factor among psychotherapeutic traditions. The purposes of this paper are to examine the historical roots of acceptance and to discuss the forms of and theoretical rationales for which the concept of acceptance has been recently introduced into the cognitive-behavioral literature, with an emphasis on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT; Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 1999). It is hoped that clarification of the theoretical basis underlying acceptance-based approaches, as well as a comparison of various forms of psychotherapy with regard to their emphasis on acceptance, will promote heightened understanding and stimulate more rigorous exploration of treatment efficacy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)443-456
Number of pages14
JournalCognitive and Behavioral Practice
Volume16
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2009

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'ACT in Context: An Exploration of Experiential Acceptance'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this