Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for "Taro," a Japanese Client with Chronic Depression: A Replicated Treatment-Evaluation

Abstract

This single case study examined the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for "Taro," a chronically depressed Japanese man in his thirties. After his baseline functioning was recorded, 9 one-hour weekly sessions, 3 biweekly one-hour booster sessions (bibliotherapy using ACT self-help reading materials), and then 4 monthly follow-up sessions, were conducted. The study examines the outcome of each of the treatment components, which were introduced in a step-by-step manner. In addition, the effects of interventions directed at each core process were also tested. As a result, the effectiveness of ACT was demonstrated with a chronically depressed Japanese client. The effectiveness of interventions was remarkably high during weekly therapy until the booster sessions; in the follow-up stage previous gains were first maintained, but then showed some regression as the client's job situation deteriorated. Future directions include the identification of factors that maintain an increase in the effectiveness of ACT interventions.