An interventional study of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in Nonsuicidal Self-Injury and Anxiety, sponsored by Southern Methodist University. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2020-05-01.
Sponsored by Southern Methodist University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for individuals who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury(NSSI) and have comorbid anxiety.
With the data collected from the study, the investigators will test the following hypotheses:
Acceptance and commitment therapy will lead to reductions in anxiety and self-harm behaviors in non-suicidal self-injury individuals.
Non-suicidal self-injury is the direct and purposeful harming of one's bodily tissue outside of social and religious norms and lacking suicidal intent. The most common NSSI behaviors include cutting (70-90%), banging or hitting (21-44%), and burning (15-35%) (Rodham \& Hawton, 2009); but many report utilizing multiple methods (50-70%; Klonsky, 2011; Whitlock, Eckenrode, \& Silverman, 2006). NSSI has an alarming prevalence among college students, with rates ranging from 17-38% (Whitlock et al., 2006; Gratz, Conrad, \& Roemer, 2002). NSSI occurs in the context of many psychological disorders (Nock, 2010), and is associated with anxiety and mood disturbances (Andover et al., 2005). This is a prevalent problem and lacks an efficacious treatment. As a result, this study can shed insight into possible treatments.
The experiential avoidance model of deliberate self-harm posits that a function of self-injury is maintained through negative reinforcement by reducing unpleasant emotional arousal (Chapman et al. 2006). Therefore a treatment that directly targets reducing experiential avoidance is likely to be effective.
ACT is based on the theory that rigid attempts to control internal states, thoughts and feelings, and other forms of experiential avoidance contribute to symptom development and maintenance of anxiety and self-injury. The training includes three components: (a) educating Ps about the exacerbation of anxiety symptoms and problem behaviors through rigid attempts at experiential avoidance, (b) introducing acceptance and the willingness to experience anxiety-related sensations and cognitions as an alternative to experiential control, through the practice of intentional and non-judgmental paying attention to one's thoughts, feelings, images and bodily sensations (including aversive symptoms of anxiety) and learning to see thoughts as an ongoing process distinct from self rather than merely an event with literal meaning (cognitive defusing), and (c) instructing Ps in between-session exercises incorporating awareness of present, internal experiences and cognitive defusion exercises while engaging in exercises that give rise to them.
5,056 studies on the registry are indexed under Wounds and Injuries; 861 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 10 is below the median of 52 across 3,239 interventional studies indexed under Wounds and Injuries.
Browse Wounds and Injuries studies →Southern Methodist University is the lead sponsor of 22 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
ACT is based on the theory that rigid attempts to control internal states, thoughts and feelings, and other forms of experiential avoidance contribute to symptom development and maintenance of anxiety and self-injury.
Urges to Self-Injure
Whether there is a decrease in the participants self-reported urge to self-injure as measured by the Alexian Brothers Urge to Self-Injure Scale (ABUSI). Responses are on a 7-point scale with a maximum total score of 30 and higher scores reflecting more intense urges to self-injure.
Time frame: During treatment (weeks 1-10) and 2 month follow-up
Experiential Avoidance
Whether there are reductions in the participants self-reported experiential avoidance measured by the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II)
Time frame: During treatment (weeks 1-10) and at 2 month follow-up
Anxiety
Whether there are changes in the participants self-reported anxiety symptoms measured by the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI)
Time frame: During treatment (weeks 1-10) and at 2 month follow-up
This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2020. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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