THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY-BASED INTERVENTION IN THERAPY FOR MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS - CASE STUDY

Purpose: This case study exemplifies the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) based intervention in the socially excluded patient. The hypothesis tests the use of the ACT based intervention as the therapeutic programme for individuals with a GAD diagnosis and with sub-threshold levels of psychopathological symptoms. Case description: A female patient, aged 52, with increased levels of anxiety and depression symptoms, complaining about excessive worrying, after an initial interview took part in a 12-session intervention programme based on ACT. She was examined twice with WAQ-II, STAI, AAQ-II,VLQ and DASS-21 questionnaires. The results showed decrease in problematic symptomatology and improvement in psychological flexibility. Comment: The use of an ACT-based intervention can be a useful method in the early stages of mental disorders. Further quantitative research into the effectiveness of this type of intervention is recommended, including online programs or self-help guides.