Acceptance and values clarification versus cognitive restructuring and relaxation: A randomized controlled trial of ultra-brief non-expert-delivered coaching interventions for social resilience

When and how is depression associated with ostracism among college students? The mediating role of interpretation bias and the moderating role of awareness rather than acceptance

Depression is closely related to individual social functions. The current study aimed to examine whether depression is associated with ostracism, whether interpretation bias mediates this relationship, and whether trait mindfulness moderates direct and indirect relationships between depression and ostracism. Overall, 389 Chinese college students completed the Center for Epidemiological Survey, Depression Scale, Interpretation Bias Questionnaire, Philadelphia mindfulness scale, and perceived ostracism scale at two-time points. Latent Profile analysis and moderated mediation analysis were performed. After controlling for sex and age, depression (t1) was positively correlated to perceived ostracism, with this relationship being partially mediated by negative interpretation bias (IBN, t2). The effect of IBN on perceived ostracism was weak when awareness was high at time 2. Acceptance had a non-significant moderating role in the relationship between IBN and perceived ostracism at time 2. LPA delineated three profiles: high awareness, high acceptance, and medium mindfulness. The moderating role of the different profiles in the relationship between IBN (t2) and perceived ostracism (t2) was significant. Depressed individuals appear to experience more ostracism because of IBN. Awareness might alleviate the effect of IBN on perceived ostracism.

Virtues as protective factors for adolescent mental health

This paper explores the decline in adolescent mental health and the weakening of traditional moral frameworks, positing education in the virtues as protective of mental health due to the intrinsic link between moral/existential wellbeing and psychological health. By integrating character education into school curricula, a continuous "dosage" of moral guidance may be an optimal way to ensure a gradual and ever-clearer articulation of a life worth living and how to live well. The paper critiques popular clinical and positive psychological approaches to promoting wellbeing, which often miss the existential and moral dimensions of adolescent growth. The conclusion emphasizes the need for integrating moral education into mental health interventions to address the comprehensive existential and moral dimensions of adolescent development. This paper advocates for a proactive character developmental model that nurtures moral and existential growth, recognizing challenges with virtue and meta-virtue development as integral to personal and moral evolution, and enhancing the moral and psychological fortitude of adolescents.

ACT: A Process-Based Therapy in Search of a Process

A large array of randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses have determined the efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). However, determining that ACT works does not tell us how it works. This is especially important to understand given the current emphasis on Process-Based Therapy, the promise of which is to identify manipulable causal mediators of change in psychotherapy, and how their effectiveness is moderated by individual contexts. This paper outlines four key areas of concern regarding ACT's status as a Process-Based Therapy. First, the relationship between ACT and Relational Frame Theory has been widely asserted but not yet properly substantiated. Second, most of the studies on ACT's core process of change, psychological flexibility, have used invalid measures. Third, while lots of research indicates means by which individuals can be helped to behave consistently with their values, there is virtually no research on how to help people effectively clarify their values in the first instance, or indeed, on an iterative basis. Finally, the philosophy underlying ACT permits a-moral instrumentalism, presenting several ethical challenges. We end by making several recommendations for coherent methodological, conceptual, and practical progress within ACT research and therapy.

Associations Between Six Core Processes of Psychological Flexibility and Functioning for Chronic Pain Patients: A Three-Level Meta-Analysis

The previous research showed contradictions in the relationships between psychological flexibility processes and functioning. This meta-analysis is the first to provide a comprehensive meta-analysis of the associations between six core processes of psychological flexibility and functioning among chronic pain patients. Four databases were searched (PsycINFO; PubMed; CINAHL; Web of Science) along with reference lists. Thirty-six cross-sectional studies were included (7,812 chronic pain patients). A three-level meta-analytic model was used to examine the associations. The publication bias was assessed with the Egger test, funnel plot, and p-curve analysis. Significant associations were found between functioning and six processes of psychological flexibility (i.e., acceptance, defusion, present moment, committed action, self as context, and values). Except for the relationship between defusion and functioning, the relationships between the other five psychological flexibility processes and functioning were all moderated by domains of functioning. No moderators were found regarding age, percentage of females, country, or type of instrument used to measure functioning. These findings may carry significant implications for chronic pain patients and clinical workers. It might be more effective to focus on functioning-related psychological flexibility processes rather than all therapy packages if the relationships between functioning and specific processes of psychological flexibility were better informed. Limitations were also discussed.