A comprehensive review of research on Functional Analytic Psychotherapy
Abstract
Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP; Kohlenberg & Tsai, 1991) is a transdiagnostic approach to outpatient psychotherapy that presented guidelines to instantiate the behavioral principle of natural, social reinforcement applied to idiographic behavioral targets within a genuine and authentic psychotherapy relationship. We present the first comprehensive review of research on FAP, including qualitative studies, uncontrolled and controlled single-case designs, group designs, and studies on training therapists in FAP. We conclude that current research support for FAP is promising but not sufficient to justify claims that FAP is research-supported for specific psychiatric disorders. There is stronger support for FAP's mechanism of therapist-as-social reinforcer: FAP techniques, when appropriately applied to idiographically defined behavioral problems-primarily in the realm of social functioning-produce positive change in those behaviors.
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FAP is an effective approach for achieving clinical improvements in different settings and conditions.
“The empirical evidence shows that FAP is an effective approach for achieving clinical improvements in different settings and conditions (Aguayo, García, & Bermúdez, 2015; Kanter et al., 2017; Mangabeira, Kanter, & del Prette, 2012).”
From The efficacy of functional-analytic psychotherapy and acceptance and commitment therapy (FACT) for public employees (2019) · cites this paper as Kanter et al., 2017
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“Outcome measurements in these publications were obtained repeatedly across Phase A intervention sessions which included CBT (Kanter et al., 2006; Pedersen et al., 2012), supportive therapy (Landes et al., 2013), FAP's Rule 2 (Lizarazo et al., 2015), and ACT (Paul et al., 1999), compared to Phase B FAP sessions.”
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“Estas terapias se usan ampliamente con múltiples problemas psicológicos y tienen evidencia empírica sobre su eficacia (A-Tjak et al., 2015; Hayes, 2019; Kanter et al., 2017; Ruiz, 2010).”
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“Subsequently, these strategies began to be discussed and replicated in diverse types of psychiatric disorders, theoretical articles, case studies, and experimental research (Kanter et al., 2017).”
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Cognitive Analytic Therapy: A Contemporary Review of Theory and Practice
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COMO RESPOSTAS ENCOBERTAS DO PSICOTERAPEUTA PODEM DIFICULTAR OU AUXILIAR NA CONDUÇÃO DO CASO CLÍNICO
Bôas, A. V., & Vandenberghe, L. (2025) · Revista Brasileira de Terapia Comportamental e Cognitiva · doi:10.31505/rbtcc.v27i1.1995
“Uma série de estudos de caso eviden-ciou que, quando o CCR2 é definido de maneira ide-ográfica e escolhido em função da formulação de caso do cliente, reforçamento social aplicado de forma habilidosa pelo psicoterapeuta pode promo-ver melhoras no funcionamento social da pessoa (Kanter et al., 2017).”
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“Pesquisas de processo e delineamentos experimentais de sujeito único na FAP sugerem que de fato os comportamentos refor-çados em tratamentos são generalizados para fora da sessão (Kanter et al., 2017; ; López-Pinar et al., 2024; Muñoz-Martínez et al., 2022).”
InfluentialThe Arab Version of the Life Snapshot Inventory: Validity and Reliability
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“…over the past twenty years in the field of FAP research and publication (including effectiveness studies, therapist supervisions, its integration with other therapies, and its various forms of evaluation) (Kanter et al., 2017; Mangabeira et al., 2012; Valero-Aguayo & Ferro-García, 2015, 2018).”
Validity of the Jordanian Version of the Life Snapshot Inventory
Aldahadha, B. (2023) · The social science · doi:10.3390/socsci12020057
GRUPNA PSIHODINAMIČKA PSIHOTERAPIJA U LIJEČENJU GRANIČNOG POREMEĆAJA OSOBNOSTI
Rončević-Gržeta, I., Pernar, M., & Petrić, D. (2020) · Psihoterapija · doi:10.24869/psihei.2020.3
“This type of therapy has been more efficient in the domain of symptoms, psychosocial functioning, and personality organization and effective in terms of suicidality reduction and decreased number of hospitalization cases (17, 22, 23, 24).”
BackgroundRetreat from racism: A psychedelic group experience for racial stress and trauma
Rosal, S. R. P., Faber, S. C., MacIntyre, M., & Williams, M. T. (2026) · Psychedelics · doi:10.1016/j.psyche.2026.100031
Barale, A. (2021) · The Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Possible · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-98390-5_159-1
- Authors
- Kanter, J. W., Manbeck, K. E., Kuczynski, A. M., Maitland, D. W. M., Villas-Bôas, A., & Reyes Ortega, M. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Washington (US)
- Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
- Corresponding author
- Kanter, Jonathan W.
- Venue
- Clinical Psychology Review
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2017-12
- Volume
- 58
- Pages
- 141-156
- ISSN
- 0272-7358 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2765278466
- Cited by
- 57
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 4
- FWCI
- 0.67
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Clinical Psychology Review (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Behavioral and Psychological Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
- Keywords
- functional analytic psychotherapy, transdiagnostic psychotherapy, social functioning, therapist training, single-case experimental design, group therapy
- MeSH terms
- Behavior Therapy, Mental Disorders, Humans, Reinforcement, Psychology, Outcome Assessment, Health Care
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