Acceptance and commitment therapy in the treatment of an adolescent female with anorexia nervosa: A case example Original Research Article

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a cognitive-behavioral treatment that targets ineffective control strategies and experiential avoidance—the unwillingness to accept negative thoughts, feelings, and emotions. Although ACT has been suggested as an effective treatment for panic, substance use, pain, and mood disorders, there are no published reports on the use of ACT for treating adolescent disorders such as anorexia nervosa. This case summarizes the successful adoption of ACT techniques in the treatment of a 15-year-old female with anorexia nervosa. It also shows how ACT techniques can be successfully combined with, and set the stage for, more standard cognitive-behavioral interventions.