THIS IS NOT B. F. SKINNER'S BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS: A REVIEW OF HAYES, STROSAHL, AND WILSON'S ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY

Abstract

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (Hayes, Strosahl, & Wilson, 1999) is an important addition to and extension of the growing field of clinical behavior analysis. The book provides a comprehensive introduction to a new therapy that is rooted in functional contextualistic philosophy and a “post‐Skinnerian” behavior‐analytic theory of verbal behavior. It begins with the assertion that language or verbal processes are at the heart of psychopathology and human suffering and goes on to describe a therapeutic approach that seeks to undermine these verbal processes and facilitate clients' active commitment to value‐driven behavior change. Along the way, the book provides a compelling behavior‐analytic account of a number of important but neglected issues in behavior analysis, including human suffering, the nature and function of private events, the self, suicide, anxiety, depression, values, responsibility, and commitment. In so doing, the book cogently challenges the unfortunately common but erroneous assertion that behaviorism does not and perhaps cannot address the complexity of the human condition. The present review provides a general overview of the book, summarizes its chapters, and raises a number of questions that might be addressed in future research.