Relational Frame Theory X-rays the black-box: the contribution of the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure to the study of clinically relevant implicit cognitions
Valeria Squatrito, Giovambattista Presti
Relational Frame Theory (RFT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) are two intertwining and synergistic areas of behavioral contextual science, the first representing the theoretical framework of a research line on cognition and language and the second an application in both clinical and non-clinical settings. Recently, the interweaving and synergy have been further strengthened by RFT researchers who have begun to explore the possible uses in the clinical field of a procedure for investigating less elaborate arbitrary relational responses. These studies, of which some are at a pioneering stage, have demonstrated the effectiveness of the Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure (IRAP) in assessing attitudes towards clinical populations, psychological processes of clinical populations, and as a measure of outcome of psychotherapeutic interventions. These studies demonstrate the validity of IRAP studies per se and its usefulness for the clinician to enrich their vision in terms of therapeutic work planning or evaluation. We have analyzed the impact that studies on implicit cognition with this procedure have in the clinical domain and how this procedure will help clinicians in a broader sense, not limited to those who practice ACT or clinical-RFT, to broaden their horizons in conceptualizing and treating cases.
Keywords
Relational Frame Theory, Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure, Implicit
Cognition, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Psychopathology
