The Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) An Intolerance of Uncertainty and Psychological Inflexibility among People Suffering from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology, Urmia University

2 Imam Khomeini Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

10.22098/jrp.2025.15476.1245

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on intolerance of uncertainty and psychological inflexibility in individuals with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). The study utilized an experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and control groups. The statistical population consisted of individuals diagnosed with GAD who were referred to four psychological health centers in Tehran, Iran, in 2018. The research sample comprised 30 individuals with GAD, selected through convenience sampling, and randomly assigned into two groups: experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15). Data were collected using the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire—II (AAQ-II), the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, and clinical interviews. The results of the Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) indicated that ACT significantly reduced both intolerance of uncertainty and psychological inflexibility among individuals with GAD (P < 0.05). The findings suggest that intolerance of uncertainty and psychological inflexibility are key factors contributing to the persistence of GAD, and ACT can be effective in reducing these cognitive patterns.

Keywords

Journal of Research in Psychopathology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 17 March 2025

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics