Incorporating Mindfulness-and Acceptance-Based Strategies in the Treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder

This chapter discusses a new integrative treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) by incorporating elements of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) into existing cognitive behavioral treatments (CBT) for this disorder. It presets the theoretical rationale for approach, describes the ways to integrate these interventions to specifically target the clinical presentation of GAD, and presents a case study as an example of the way treatment unfolds and the specific considerations that may arise. It also reviews the preliminary empirical support for this new treatment and discusses some practical considerations in the approach. While preliminary findings are encouraging, significant research is still needed on acceptance-based behavior therapy for GAD. In addition, longitudinal research exploring mechanisms of change can help in determining whether the treatment works through the proposed mechanisms. It is also important to explore the stability of observed effects as well as the breadth of these effects by including broader assessments of functioning and valued living.