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| Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with Children, Adolescents, and Their Families |
| Friday, May 27, 2005 |
| 10:00 AM–5:00 PM |
| 4B (4th floor) |
| Area: CBM; Domain: Applied Research |
| CE Instructor: Amy Murrell, M.A. |
| AMY MURRELL (University of Mississippi) |
| Description: One in ten American children has a mental illness that is severe enough to cause impairment in daily living (NIMH, 2002). Over the last decade, there has been a rise in the use of medication to treat such illness; however, recent concerns about the lack of benefits and high risks associated with many medications (e.g., FDA, 2004) have illuminated the need for well-grounded psychotherapy for children and adolescents. Behavioral treatments have historically yielded positive results for youth (Chambless & Ollendick, 2001). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a behavioral treatment that integrates traditional techniques like exposure and behavioral activation with third-wave strategies including mindfulness and values work. This workshop, entitled ACT with Children, Adolescents and Their Families, will introduce ACT work as it applies to the youth population. Functional and other assessment, case conceptualization and treatment planning from an ACT perspective (considering direct and verbal conditioning processes) will be reviewed. Clinical examples will be used to illustrate therapeutic techniques. Discussion of criticisms and special process issues concerning the use of ACT with youth will be incorporated. The workshop will be primarily didactic, although participants will be encouraged to discuss cases, role-play, and participate in experiential exercises as well. |
| Learning Objectives: At the end of the workshop the participant will be able to: - Identify ways in which verbal conditioning relates to human suffering. - Compare/contrast targets of traditional and ACT-consistent functional assessment. - Evaluate the use of acceptance-based measures for youth populations. - Formulate a brief ACT- consistent conceptualization of a case. - Identify the treatment goals and six core components of ACT work. - Demonstrate understanding of those components in work with youth populations. - Discuss the role of family participation in ACT treatment of youth. |
| Activities: Activities will include lecture, role-plays, and small group discussion. Participants will be encouraged to present hypothetical or appropriately disguised cases with which they are struggling or have concerns. |
| Audience: As this is an introductory workshop, students and those unfamiliar with or new to the ACT model are encouraged to attend. This workshop may benefit behavior analysts, psychologists, social workers and others who conduct or supervise applied work with children and adolescents. |
| Content Area: Practice |
| Instruction Level: Basic |