This is not B. F. Skinner's behavior analysis: A review of Hayes, Strosahl, and Wilson's acceptance and commitment therapy

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims. The quote only partly states this claim.

A client with schizoid personality disorder who had not benefited from 2 years of cognitive behavior therapy was considered by the authors to have been successfully treated with an ACT-based treatment emphasizing acceptance of his schizoid tendencies while he pursued career and recreational objectives he enjoyed.

“Although he was initially reluctant to give up on attempts to make social interactions reinforcing, in the end he considered the therapy successful.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

ACT is more than a technology, and the failure to see it within its philosophical and theoretical context simply misses its essential points.

“In that context, they go on to argue that ACT is more than a technology, and the failure to see it within its philosophical and theoretical context simply misses its essential points.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Humans can verbally construct realities, including futures that can control behavior in productive ways, but they may be so distorted as to have little resemblance to reality and render us insensitive to actual contingencies of reinforcement.

“Humans can verbally construct ''realities,'' including futures that can control behavior in productive ways, but they may be so distorted as to have little resemblance to reality and render us insensitive to actual contingencies of reinforcement.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Simply being in contact with the environment evokes a continual stream of verbal acts that include describing, comparing, categorizing, and evaluating.

“Thus, simply being in contact with the environment evokes a continual stream of verbal acts that include describing, comparing, categorizing, and evaluating.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

The key principle underlying the ACT model of human suffering and psychopathology is that human suffering results when thoughts or other private events are seen as causes of behavior, and individuals try to change or avoid their thoughts and feelings in order to change their behavior.

“The key principle underlying this model is that human suffering results when thoughts or other private events are seen as causes of behavior, and individuals try to change or avoid their thoughts and feelings in order to change their behavior.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

The current assumption of destructive normality is contrary to mainstream thinking in the mental health community but is not uncommon in other domains.

“Although the current assumption of destructive normality is contrary to mainstream thinking in the mental health community (but see Watts' Psychotherapy East andWest, 1961, or Epstein's Thoughts Without a Thinker, 1995, for related discussions from very different perspectives), it is not uncommon in other domains.”

• cites Watts' Psychotherapy East andWest, 1961Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• cites Epstein's Thoughts Without a Thinker, 1995Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Each type of rule governance (pliance, tracking, augmentals) has clinical implications.

“The relevance of this taxonomy of rulegoverned behavior is that each of these types of rule governance has clinical implications.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Problems with tracking can arise when tracks are inaccurate, untestable, or self-fulfilling.

“Problems with tracking can arise when tracks are inaccurate, untestable, or self-fulfilling.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The therapeutic relationship itself accounts for as much gain in therapy as any specific therapeutic approach or intervention.

“there is a considerable body of research that suggests that the therapeutic relationship itself accounts for as much gain in therapy as any specific therapeutic approach or intervention (see B. S. Kohlenberg, 2000, for a review of this literature and a discussion of the therapeutic relationship from a behavior-analytic perspective).”

• cites B. S. Kohlenberg, 2000Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Happiness is directly related to involvement in valued activity and progress toward one's goals.

“there is a growing literature concerned with psychological health or well-being (e.g., Myers & Diener, 1995) that suggests that happiness is directly related to involvement in valued activity and progress toward one's goals”

• cites Myers & Diener, 1995 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

A cornerstone of ACT is that private events, like thoughts and feelings, are acts in themselves and, therefore, not causes of behavior.

“A cornerstone of ACT is that it insists that private events, like the thoughts and feelings that characterize depression, are acts in themselves and, therefore, not causes of behavior.”

May combine two claims.

ACT is rooted in functional contextualistic philosophy and a post-Skinnerian behavior-analytic theory of verbal behavior.

“it is rooted in functional contextualistic philosophy and a theory of verbal behavior that, although decidedly post-Skinnerian, is based upon principles derived from recent laboratory research on rule governance, stimulus equivalence, and derived relational responding.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

The bidirectional relation between verbal events and their referents renders virtually every human interaction with the environment at least partly verbal.

“In addition, the bidirectional relation between verbal events and their referents renders virtually every human interaction with the environment at least partly verbal.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Self-awareness almost inevitably leads to self-criticism, and the very act of reporting aversive events or evaluations can itself become aversive and lead to avoidance.

“Another result of the bidirectionality of verbal relations is that self-awareness almost inevitably leads to self-criticism, and the very act of reporting aversive events or evaluations can itself become aversive and lead to avoidance.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S4 (based).

For humans, verbal relations are primitive, fundamental, and dominant.

“verbal dominance: For humans, verbal relations are primitive, fundamental, and dominant.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

Humans continually engage in a process of constructing reasons for their behavior, and these reasons tend to be the private experiences that are produced by certain situations or accompany certain behaviors.

“Thus, humans continually engage in a process of constructing reasons for their behavior, and these reasons tend to be the private experiences that are produced by certain situations or accompany certain behaviors.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

When the functions or behavioral effects of one member of a bidirectional relation are changed, there is a related change in the functions of the other member.

“when the functions or behavioral effects of one member of that bidirectional relation are changed, there is a related change in the functions of the other member.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Verbal communities typically demand reasons for our actions and thereby create contexts in which simply being able to make sense of our actions is reinforcing.

“Verbal communities typically demand reasons for our actions and thereby create contexts in which simply being able to make sense of our actions is reinforcing.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The only way for ACT to maintain its integrity and coherence is for it to be embedded in a philosophical and theoretical context.

“The authors insist that the only way for the approach to maintain its integrity and coher-ence is for it to be embedded in a philosophical and theoretical context.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Overly pliant clients are those whose behavior is aimed primarily at obtaining social approval or attention at the expense of other valued outcomes.

“Overly pliant clients are those whose behavior is aimed primarily at obtaining social approval or attention at the expense of other valued outcomes.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

The very act of verbalizing an unwanted private event evokes it.

“The very act of verbalizing an unwanted private event evokes it.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

Humans spend a good deal of time trying to control their thoughts and feelings.

“In line with the logical conclusion derived from the first four elements of the syllogism, humans spend a good deal of time trying to control their thoughts and feelings.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Adherence to functional contextualism and emphasis on successful working gives ACT its coherence and direction.

“it is the adherence to functional contextualism and emphasis on successful working or effective action (referred to as its ''truth criterion'') that gives ACT its coherence and direction.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

Because of the bidirectionality of verbal relations, attempts to verbally control private events often make them more likely to occur.

“The sad irony, however, is that because of the bidirectionality of verbal relations, attempts to verbally control private events often make them more likely to occur.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

Successful working is ACT's primary objective, and every intervention by the therapist and every act of the client are evaluated with respect to that goal.

“Ultimately, successful working is ACT's primary objective, and every intervention by the therapist and every act of the client are evaluated with respect to that goal.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Verbal stimuli participate in bidirectional relations with their referents.

“For present purposes it may be sufficient to understand that verbal stimuli participate in bidirectional relations with their referents”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Contextualism's essential premise is that events can be usefully understood only in relation to their contexts.

“Its essential premise is that events can be usefully understood only in relation to their contexts.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

The symbolic nature of verbal stimuli is typically not directly acquired or trained.

“Moreover, and perhaps more interesting, the symbolic nature of verbal stimuli is typically not directly acquired or trained.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

ACT is a pragmatic, functional approach to therapy rather than a collection of topographically defined techniques, and it continually evolves as new techniques are added and existing ones are modified.

“ACT is a pragmatic, functional approach to therapy rather than a collection of topographically defined techniques, and it continually evolves as new techniques are added and existing ones are modified to fit the needs of individual clients and therapists.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

The symbolic nature of verbal stimuli refers primarily to their ability to stand for or share many of the functions of their referents.

“The symbolic nature of verbal stimuli refers primarily to their ability to ''stand for'' or share many of the functions of their referents.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

At its core, the book is about language and its role in the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of human suffering and psychopathology.

“At its core, this book is about language and its role in the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of human suffering and psychopathology.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

In some contexts, the bidirectional nature of verbal relations is such that verbal stimuli and their referents fuse together or become functionally inseparable.

“In some contexts, the bidirectional nature of verbal relations is such that verbal stimuli and their referents fuse together or become functionally inseparable.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based). May combine two claims.

Many western and eastern religious traditions have embraced similar notions and have developed practices intended to reduce the domination of language over experience.

“For instance, many western and eastern religious traditions have embraced similar notions and have developed practices (e.g., repeated chanting of mantras or prayers, silent contemplation) that are intended to reduce the domination of language over experience.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

The philosophical perspective within which ACT is situated is pragmatism or functional contextualism.

“The philosophical perspective within which ACT is situated is pragmatism or, as the authors prefer, functional contextualism”

• cites Hayes, 1993Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Behavior analysts typically restrict their explanations to accessible and manipulable events that are external to the behavior to be explained.

“This is why behavior analysts typically restrict their explanations to accessible and manipulable events that are external to the behavior to be explained.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

Successful working can only be evaluated with respect to specific goals, and it is for this reason that values clarification and goal setting play critical roles in ACT.

“But successful working itself can only be evaluated with respect to specific goals, and it is for this reason that values clarification and goal setting play critical roles in ACT.”

Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

Because a rule is verbal, the very attempt to act on it is likely to make the anxiety worse.

“ACT would argue that not only is the track inaccurate, that is, one can, in fact, give a good paper and be anxious, but because the rule is verbal (more below), the very attempt to act on it is likely to make the anxiety worse.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

The finding that happiness is directly related to involvement in valued activity and progress toward goals validates many of ACT's basic interventions and objectives.

“a finding that validates many of ACT's basic interventions and objectives”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

The role that verbal processes can play in the development and maintenance of experiential avoidance is clear.

“The role that verbal processes can play in the development and maintenance of experiential avoidance is clear, but the question is when does it go awry?”

May combine two claims.

ACT has not yet been shown to be an empirically validated treatment, although there are some encouraging data in support of its effectiveness.

“although there are some encouraging data in support of its effectiveness, as the authors note, it has not yet been shown to be an empirically validated treatment”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Many of the book's assertions about the effects of certain therapist behaviors or attitudes on the therapeutic relationship and ultimately on therapy outcome, especially in chapter 10, seem to be based on logic rather than empirical data.

“Ironically, many of these assertions seem to be based on logic rather than empirical data.”