The effectiveness of the ACT Matrix in a case of anxiety-depressive syndrome
Raffaella Marchio, Francesco Vincelli, Giovanni Capoderose
This case study describes the conceptualization and the cognitive-behavioral treatment planning within the model of the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for a 21-year-old patient affected by depression and anxiety, with a family story made by parents neglect. The treatment proposed the use of the ACT Matrix (Polk, Schoendorff, Webster, & Olaz 2016), as an instrument for the conceptualization and the therapy to help the patient in increasing the psychological flexibility, and live a life toward her values. At the same time we start an initial training of Mindfulness (Preziosi, 2016; Kabat-Zinn, Segal, Teasdale, & Williams, 2010) to increase the willingness of the patient in accepting the physical sensations and the disturbing thoughts. Since the patient felt feelings of worthlessness I widely used a cognitive-behavioral approach based on the Compassion Focused Therapy (Gilbert, 2012). At the end of the treatment the patient reported a significant reduction of the depression and anxiety symptoms, with important repercussions in terms of mood, of the physical well-being and of the family relationships. The results were kept three months apart as can be seen from the follow up, showing that the cognitive-behavioral therapy of third wave, in particular ACT, it is widely effective in the treatment of depressive and anxious symptoms.
Keywords
Anxiety, Depression, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, ACT Matrix, Mindfulness.