2016 Volume 42 Issue 2 Pages 183-192
The present case study explored the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to prevent relapse and recurrence of depression in a client in his late forties who had had chronic kidney disease from his youth. The case formulation indicated that the client had a lack of values clarity, experiential avoidance, and cognitive fusion. His high motivation for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy reinforced the pliance that was a rule-governed behavior in the relationship between the therapist and the client. A self-help book about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy was used as the basis for a discussion about not only the contents of the book, but also events in his daily life. Even though his medical condition became worse and his circumstances drastically changed during the counseling period, the client did not show emotional disturbance, and he reported positive changes in his relationship. Throughout the intervention, his Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II) scores increased, his Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) scores stayed low, and his State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores decreased. The article discusses the process of this case-study intervention from the viewpoint of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy theory.
