Psychological flexibility is a theoretical construct associated with acceptance and commitment therapy, a "third wave" cognitive-behavioral therapy treatment focusing on mindfulness and acceptance of aversive internal events. Psychological flexibility has been thoroughly investigated in clinical and nonclinical populations. However, very little research has been done pertaining to the possible relationships between psychological flexibility and attachment style. Similarly, there is no research investigating the potential link between psychological flexibility and constructs associated with a psychodynamic formulation of personality organization, particularly identity integration and defensive operations. We hypothesized that psychological flexibility would be negatively correlated with attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance, as well as being negatively correlated with primitive defenses and identity diffusion. Our hypotheses were largely confirmed, with several significant correlations found. Psychological flexibility was negatively correlated with attachment anxiety, as well as being negatively correlated with primitive defenses and identity diffusion. We discuss these findings in terms of clinical practice and directions for future research.

Several pieces of literature suggest that most individuals who are successfully integrated into cults do not typically manifest symptoms of mental illness. However, the public is often taken aback by the lack of autonomy displayed by cult members and is bewildered by the ability of the cult leader and other cult members to transform fundamental personality functioning in an individual Within the framework of an object relations model of personality structure and functioning as delineated by Otto Kernberg and using existing data concerning the cult experience, the authors engage in a theoretical exploration of cult membership. The authors propose that some behaviors exhibited by cult members may be a function of an object relations-level regression, which is exemplified by the activation of primitive defensive operations that are usually relegated to those suffering with severe personality disorders.