Focusing on the self in context as an emotion regulatory strategy: an evaluation of the "self-as-context" component of ACT compared to cognitive reappraisal in managing stress.

BACKGROUND: Self-as-Context (SAC) is one of the six core components of the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy model (ACT). OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to investigate whether SAC is effective in reducing negative affect and maintaining positive affect in response to a personally relevant stressor relative to cognitive reappraisal (CR) and spontaneous coping strategies. METHOD: An undergraduate sample (N = 105) completed baseline measures and were asked to discuss a recent personally relevant stressor which was audiotaped, before being randomized to one of three conditions. Participants randomized to the SAC and CR conditions received 5-minutes of training, whilst participants allocated to the control condition were asked to read a brochure for 5-minutes. All participants then listened to their recorded stressful experience before completed follow-up measures. RESULTS: The SAC group reported significantly less negative affect than participants in the control group post-training induction; although the CR group did not differ from the SAC or control participants in reductions in negative affect post-induction. There were no significant group differences for positive affect. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide preliminary evidence that SAC is an effective emotion regulatory strategy in reducing acute distress in a stress-exposed young adult sample.

The Relationship Between Flexible Perspective Taking and Emotional Well-Being: A Systematic Review of the "Self-as-Context" Component of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

One of the core processes of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is "self-as-context" (SAC). SAC is conventionally taught as an extension of mindfulness, which enables individuals to focus on a stable, grounded, and enduring sense of self that is able to have a flexible perspective. There has been a growing number of studies that have evaluated the effects of the SAC component in improving emotional well-being in various samples. The objective of this systematic review was twofold: (a) to evaluate whether SAC can be effectively taught and assessed in component analyses, and (b) to evaluate whether SAC improves emotional well-being. The electronic databases of PsycInfo and Medline were searched to identify relevant studies with the final search completed in August 2019. All studies that examined SAC as a stand-alone construct were considered. A total of 20 studies (published in 14 papers) met inclusion criteria for this review. Seven studies were based on a single-session lab trial, two studies were based on intervention trials, and 11 studies utilized cross-sectional assessment designs. On the basis of four identified studies, there is only provisional but very limited evidence to suggest that SAC can be effectively taught and implemented as a stand-alone process to manage emotional well-being. Mixed findings emerged in relation to SAC improving emotional well-being. The methodological quality of the studies was variable, which contributed to the mixed outcomes. There is limited evidence to support the use of the SAC component as a stand-alone process in ACT-based interventions, and research recommendations are discussed.

Expression and Regulation of Attachment-Related Emotions in Children with Conduct Problems and Callous-Unemotional Traits.

Callous-unemotional traits (CU) are defined by low responsiveness to, and unfeeling disregard for the emotions of others. There is controversial evidence, however, that children with high CU traits can demonstrate affective responsiveness under certain conditions, namely those associated with attachment threat. We tested this using 'fear + amusing' and 'attachment rich' stimuli from the Lion King film. Of N = 76, 4-14 years old children, 56 were clinic-referred children divided into high and low CU traits groups, and 20 children were drawn from the community. Participants watched film sequences of fearful, attachment-related and neutral stimuli and their affective responses and emotion-regulation strategies were coded by independent observers. Children in the high CU traits group were able to disengage from the fear stimuli by showing more 'happiness' to a brief slapstick interlude. In the attachment scenario, high CU children expressed similar or trends toward higher emotional responses and emotion regulation strategies, compared to low-CU children and control children. The results support the idea that high CU children may have the potential for emotional responsiveness to complex emotional stimuli in attachment contexts. Implications of these results for the development of interventions are discussed.