ACT for OCD: Main Concepts
Key Points
- OCD is a debilitating set of symptoms that comes in different forms.
- ACT is an evidence-based treatment option for OCD.
- ACT focuses on openness, and disentanglement from internal experiences, for creating a meaningful life.
- Six ACT processes come together to form the treatment.
- Exposures can be included and are done from an ACT-consistent perspective.
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Transcript
In this video, we're going to summarize the most important concepts that we have covered thus far as a refresher of ACT for OCD treatment.
OCD consists of obsessions, compulsions and can have a substantial negative impact on one's life. Those are the three main components of OCD. Again, obsessions, compulsions and a substantial negative impact on functioning on one's life. And obsessions and compulsions can take many forms. So understanding the function of a behavior is important here.
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
One thing that people often get tripped up with is thinking that they understand someone's compulsions and obsessions just based off of what might be logical to them as a therapist or as a provider. It's an easy trap to get into and it's always worth asking to make sure you understand what does this behavior do to the obsession and what is the function behind that. You will often find that there might be some things that you don't quite expect because as I said obsessions and compulsions can take many forms and they can work together differently for each individual. So make sure you're really understanding the individual's experience with these.
Hayes, S. C., Luoma, J. B., Bond, F. W., Masuda, A., & Lillis, J. (2006). Acceptance and commitment therapy: Model, processes and outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(1), 1–25.,Twohig, M. P. (2004). ACT for OCD: Abbreviated treatment manual [Unpublished treatment manual]. University of Nevada.