Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) is a core feature of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and depression. Recently, some studies have shown promising results with brief protocols of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) focused on RNT in the treatment of emotional disorders in adults. The current study analyzes the effect of an individual, 3-session, RNT-focused ACT protocol in the treatment of severe and comorbid GAD and depression. Six adults meeting criteria for both disorders and showing severe symptoms of at least one of them participated in the study. A delayed multiple-baseline design was implemented. All participants completed a 5week baseline without showing improvement trends in emotional symptoms (Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale -21; DASS-21) and pathological worry (Penn State Worry Questionnaire; PSWQ). The ACT protocol was then implemented, and a 3-month followup was conducted. Five of the six participants showed clinically significant changes in the DASS-21 and the PSWQ. The standardized mean difference effect sizes for single-case experimental design were very large for emotional symptoms (d = 3.34), pathological worry (d = 4.52), experiential avoidance (d = 3.46), cognitive fusion (d = 3.90), repetitive thinking (d = 4.52), and valued living (d = 0.92 and d = 1.98). No adverse events were observed. Brief, RNT-focused ACT protocols for treating comorbid GAD and depression deserve further empirical tests.
The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) is a widely used, 5-item, 7-point Likert-type scale that measures life satisfaction. The current study aims to explore the validity of the SWLS in Colombia and its factorial equivalence with Spanish samples. The SWLS was administered to a total of 1,587 Colombian participants, including a sample of undergraduates, a sample from the general population, and a clinical sample. The internal consistency across the different samples was good (overall alpha of .89). The one-factor model found in the original scale showed a very good fit in the overall Colombian sample (RMSEA = .052, 90% CI [.034, .073]; CFI = .99; NNFI = .99). SWLS scores are significantly related to measures of valued living, emotional symptoms, negative thoughts, experiential avoidance, and cognitive fusion. The clinical sample's mean score on the SWLS was significantly lower than the scores of the nonclinical samples. Three additional Spanish samples (N = 1057) were obtained to analyze the factorial equivalence of the SWLS in Colombia and Spain. Metric and scalar invariance were observed between countries and between Colombian males and females. In conclusion, the SWLS showed good psychometric properties in Colombia and factorial equivalence with Spanish samples.
Online psychological interventions for the treatment of depression are increasing as an alternative to traditional face-to-face psychotherapy. Adaptations of cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of depression have been tested, with meta-analyses showing weighted effect sizes ranging from d = 0.40 to 0.56. However, there is less evidence on the effect of adaptations of third-wave behavioral therapies for depression. Accordingly, this study reviews the evidence of online applications of third-wave behavioral therapies for depression. Nine randomized clinical trials were found with a total of 1910 participants. Most of these trials implemented online versions of behavioral activation (BA) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). All studies reported positive effects of third-wave therapies. A meta-analysis was conducted with the 6 studies (N = 1744) that compared an online intervention versus wait-list or treatment as usual conditions. Medium to large effect sizes were found with a weighted effect size of d = 0.61. In conclusion, online adaptations of third-wave therapies seem to be legitimate options for the treatment of depression.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.