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Salimi et al. (2019) reported that developmental delays and the uncertainty that often comes with an unclear or poor prognosis can lead to intense psychological pressure on family and friends of the child. The stress this causes is significant for the entire family system, but it is reportedly more intense for mothers who often feel shame, depression, grief, and guilt. Salimi et al. (2019) note that the stress this causes a family changes over time as challenges pop up and advocate that professionals need to help families by preparing them for the challenges they will undoubtedly face. Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a behavior therapy that can help these mothers with building a better relationship with their thoughts and emotions, allowing them to focus on the components of their life that are most important and valuable to them.
Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) is based on the assumption that the connection between internal human language, or thoughts, and behaviors can lead to psychological suffering. Just as the thought and behavior interaction can lead to psychological suffering, these thoughts and behaviors can be altered to instead create psychological flexibility and move people toward their values. Psychological flexibility can be obtained by following the six principles in ACT: defusion, acceptance, being in the present moment, the observing self, values, and committed action (Harris, 2008). Harris (2008) who experienced having a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), reported that ACT can be used when dealing with the grief of a diagnosis. Using these principles can help parents and families manage the cyclical thoughts and feelings associated with stress and grief, which hinder their ability to continue engaging in behaviors that are aligned with their values (Martinez, 2018).
Historical Overview
In 1885, Sigmund Freud discovered, under the influence of a colleague and physician, Josef Breuer, that he could get patients’ symptoms to occasionally subside by having the patient engage in talking about the earliest occurrences of symptoms. Josef Breuer found that this treatment – “the talking cure” – was cathartic and allowed the release of hidden emotions allowing for work on pathological behaviors. (Jay, 2019). When working with Breuer, Freud’s objective was to have his patients engage with traumatic thoughts, feelings, and memories which previously were beyond their consciousness (Thornton, n.d.). This led to Freud’s theory of levels of consciousness, and how one experiences sensations and experiences – conscious (aware), preconscious (can be retrieved), and unconscious (pushed away). His theory stated that the unconscious is where emotions, and memories which are threatening to the conscious mind are pushed (Sharf, 2007 p.31). While the idea of pushing thoughts away and not focusing on them is the opposite of the ACT principles, these ideas guided early social science to think about things on a deeper level