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Psychological flexibility: positive implications for mental health and life satisfaction
Open accessAbstract
New wave therapies such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy aim to cultivate people's psychological flexibility in order for them to live a satisfying life. Psychological flexibility has also a role in promoting mental health, which may mediate the relationship with life satisfaction. The aim of this study was to determine whether mental health mediates the effect of psychological flexibility on life satisfaction. A convenience sample of 140 adults (32 males, M = 36.50 years, SD = 12.22; 107 females, M = 38.46 years, SD = 12.81; and a 45-year-old person of unknown gender) completed an online questionnaire assessing psychological flexibility, mental health and life satisfaction. Three of the four hypothesized components of psychological flexibility (experiential acceptance, cognitive alternatives and cognitive control) contributed to the latent construct of psychological flexibility, but cognitive defusion failed to contribute. Psychological flexibility had a direct, positive effect on life satisfaction and the hypothesis that mental health would mediate this relationship was supported. The results suggest that psychological flexibility is important for one's mental health and that both are integral to life satisfaction. The results also support a continued focus on third-wave therapies in cultivating psychological flexibility.
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“only SE practice led to greater control over emotions and the ability to find multiple alternatives and solutions to life’s difficult situations [99,100].”
In the citing paper
“Lucas and Moore (2020) found that the significant association between psychological flexibility and satisfaction with life was mediated by mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, and social func tioning).”
From Psychometric properties of the engaged living scale (ELS) Spanish version in a large sample of Spanish pilgrims (2023) · cites this paper as Lucas and Moore (2020)
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Metadata
- Authors
- Lucas, J. J., & Moore, K. A.
- Affiliations
- Deakin University (AU)
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Federation University Australia, Northways Road, Churchill, Victoria 3842, Australia
- Corresponding author
- Lucas, James J
- ORCID
- Lucas, James J
- Venue
- Health Promotion International
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2019-05-09
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 312-320
- ISSN
- 0957-4824 (ISSN-L)
- 1460-2245
- OpenAlex
- W2944163432
- Cited by
- 102
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2026: 13 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 7.31
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- figshare.com
- Licence
- Locations
- Health Promotion International (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- FedUni ResearchOnline (Federation University Australia) (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychological Well-being and Life Satisfaction
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Keywords
- psychological flexibility, mental health, life satisfaction, acceptance and commitment therapy, experiential acceptance, cognitive control, cognitive defusion, mediation, third-wave therapies
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Personal Satisfaction, Surveys and Questionnaires, Internet, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
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