Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Eating Disorders

Abstract

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) conceptualizes eating disorders (EDs) as rigid attempts to solve the problem of human suffering through food, eating or weight control. Case formulation and intervention is based on functional assessment of ED behaviors and informed by common patterns of psychological flexibility observed across dimensions of cognition, emotion, self, motivation, and overt action. ACT interventions, combined with other evidence-based practices for EDs, can be used to disrupt ED behaviors and increase the individual's capacity to meet their physical and emotional needs adaptively. ACT shows promise as a treatment for individuals with EDs; however, more studies are needed.

Keywords: Acceptance and commitment therapy; Anorexia nervosa; Binge eating disorder; Bulimia nervosa; Eating disorders; Psychological flexibility; Weight control.