Fooling around with Definitions of Psychological Flexibility Chad E. Drake, Ph.D.

experiential avoidance psychological flexibility

Experiential Avoidance The intent to alter or avoid the form, frequency, or intensity of private experiences such as thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations or memories, even when doing so is costly, ineffective, or unnecessary.

psychological inflexibility dominance of the conceputalized past and feared future; weak self-knowledge lack of values clarity; dominance of pliance and avoidant tracking experiential avoidance psychological inflexibility cognitive fusion inaction, impulsivity, avoidant persistence attachment to the conceptualized self

psychological flexibility contact with the present moment acceptance values psychological flexibility defusion committed action self-as-context

Hayes et al., 2004 From page 5 of “A Practical Guide to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy”: “…the ability to contact the present moment more fully as a conscious human being, and to either change or persist when doing so serves valued ends.”

Luoma, Hayes, & Walser, 2007 From page 17 of “Learning ACT” “…the ability to contact the present moment more fully as a conscious human being, and based on what the situation affords, to change or persist in behavior in order to serve valued ends.”

Hayes et al., 2007 From page 57 of “Understanding Behavior Disorders”: “…the ability to experience events fully, consciously, and without defense, and to persist in or change behavior in a given situation in the service of chosen values.”

Let’s Behave

Inflexible Example I want this… but I don’t like this… so I do this… which leads to this. control relief anxiety be alone values loneliness Antecedent conditions Behavior Consequences

Flexible Example I want this… but I don’t like this… so I do this… which leads to this. willingness vitality anxiety socialize while anxious values people Antecedent conditions Behavior Consequences

Psychological flexibility is any behavior where the motivational functions of some personal value dominate over non-valued motives as well as direct or indirect aversive stimulation that would normally elicit or occasion escape and/or avoidance

Psychological flexibility is also a sensitivity to stimulation that assists one in learning how to pursue one’s value and an insensitivity to stimulation that would normally serve to promote escape, avoidance, and experiential avoidance

Jerold Hambright “When a person can observe himself in a context while taking action for a purpose, then the person learns what works and does not work for his values.”

Questions to Ponder Is aversive stimulation necessary to reveal psychological flexibility? Is it psychologically flexibile to engage in valued action in the absence of obstacles, distress, or suffering? Is it psychological flexibility to pursue transcendence, even in respect to values? Is values-consistent behavior necessary for psychological flexibility?