All the material presented in programs and sessions in the Aware app are based on interventions proven to be effective in peer-reviewed scientific research articles or books. In general, our interventions are based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Theoretically most interventions would be labelled as Contextual Behavioral Science (CBS), in short meaning that we think human behavior is affected by the current situation, past learnings, inner experiences and ideas. That also encompasses that we believe in the potential of humans to change their course of life, live meaningfully, and open up to fully experience life in both easy and more difficult situations.
Key references for values in ACT:
Gloster, A. T., Walder, N., Levin, M. E., Twohig, M. P., & Karekla, M. (2020). The empirical status of acceptance and commitment therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 18, 181-192.
Chase, J. A., Houmanfar, R., Hayes, S. C., Ward, T. A., Viladarga, J. P., & Follette, V. (2013). Values are not just goals: Online ACT-based values training adds to goal setting in improving undergraduate college student performance. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 2, 79–94.
Dahl, J., Plumb-Vilardaga, J., Stewart, I., & Lundgren, T. (2009). The art and science of valuing in psychotherapy: Helping clients discover, explore, and commit to valued action using acceptance and commitment. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy: The process and practice of mindful change (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Levin, M. E., Hildebrandt, M., Lillis, J., & Hayes, S. C. (2012). The impact of treatment components suggested by the psychological flexibility model: A meta-analysis of laboratory-based component studies. Behavior Therapy, 43, 741–756.
Kanter, J. W., Kuczynski, A. M., Tsai, M., & Kohlenberg, R. J. (2018). A brief contextual behavioral intervention to improve relationships: A randomized trial. Journal of contextual behavioral science, 10, 75-84.
Kanter, J. W., Kuczynski, A. M., Manbeck, K. E., Corey, M. D., & Wallace, E. C. (2020). An integrative contextual behavioral model of intimate relations. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science.
Aron, A., Melinat, E., Aron, E. N., Vallone, R. D., & Bator, R. J. (1997). The experimental generation of interpersonal closeness: A procedure and some preliminary findings. Personality and social psychology bulletin, 23(4), 363-377.
Collins, N. L., & Miller, L. C. (1994). Self-disclosure and liking: a meta-analytic review. Psychological bulletin, 116(3), 457.
Oswald, D. L., Clark, E. M., & Kelly, C. M. (2004). Friendship maintenance: An analysis of individual and dyad behaviors. Journal of Social and clinical psychology, 23(3), 413-441.
Reis, H. T., Shaver, P., Duck, S., & Hay, D. F. (1988). Intimacy as an interpersonal process. Handbook of personal relationships.
Tsai, M., Hardebeck, E., Ramos, F. P., Turlove, H., Nordal‐Jonsson, K., Vongdala, A., ... & Kohlenberg, R. J. (2020). Helping couples connect during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A pilot randomised controlled trial of an awareness, courage, and love intervention. Applied Psychology: Health and Well‐Being, 12(4), 1140-1156.
Hayes, Steven. (2005). *Get out of your mind and into your life.* The new acceptance and commitment therapy. New Harbinger Publications, Oakland, California
Hayes, S. C., Luoma, J. B., Bond, F. W., Masuda, A., & Lillis, J. (2006). Acceptance and commitment therapy: Model, processes and outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(1).
Bond, F. W., & Dowling, J. R. (Manuscript in preparation) Actively Living as an Individual Vitally Embodied (ALIVE).
Eifert, G. H., & Forsyth, J. P. (2005). Acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety disorders: A practitioner's treatment guide to using mindfulness, acceptance, and values-based behavior change strategies. New Harbinger Publications, Oakland, California.
Neff, K. D., & Germer, C. K. (2013). A pilot study and randomized controlled trial of the mindful self‐compassion program. Journal of clinical psychology, 69:1.
Neff, K. D., & Vonk, R. (2009). Self‐compassion versus global self‐esteem: Two different ways of relating to oneself. Journal of personality, 77:1.
Germer, C.K. and Neff, K.D. (2013), Self‐Compassion in Clinical Practice. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69.
Neff, Kristin. (2015). Self-Compassion – the Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself. William Morrow, New York, NY.
Neff, K. D., Tóth-Király, I., Yarnell, L., Arimitsu, K., Castilho, P., Ghorbani, N. ,Mantios, M. (2019). Examining the Factor Structure of the Self-Compassion Scale using exploratory SEM bifactor analysis in 20 diverse samples: Support for use of a total score and six subscale scores. Psychological Assessment, 31:1.
Hayes SC, Pistorello J, Levin ME. Acceptance and commitment therapy as a unified model of behavior change. The Counseling Psychologist. 2012;40(7).
Villatte JL, Vilardaga R, Villatte M, Plumb Vilardaga JC, Atkins DC, Hayes SC. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy modules: Differential impact on treatment processes and outcomes. Behav Res Ther. 2016;77.
Rickardsson, J, Gentili, C, Holmström, L, et al. (2021). Internet-delivered acceptance and commitment therapy as microlearning for chronic pain: A randomized controlled trial with 1-year follow-up. European Journal of Pain vol 25.
Brinkborg, H., Michanek, J., Hesser, H., & Berglund, G. (2011). Acceptance and commitment therapy for the treatment of stress among social workers: A randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 49(6–7), 389–398. doi:10.1016/j.brat.2011.03.009.
Flaxman, PE & Bond FW. (2010) A randomised worksite comparison of acceptance and commitment therapy and stress inoculation training. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48:8.
Lloyd, J, Bond, FW & Flaxman, PE. (2013) *The value of psychological flexibility: Examining psychological mechanisms underpinning a cognitive behavioural therapy intervention for burnout*, Work & Stress, 27:2.
Frögéli, E, Djordjevic, A, Rudman, A, Livheim, F & Gustavsson, P. (2016) A randomized controlled pilot trial of acceptance and commitment training (ACT) for preventing stress-related ill health among future nurses, Anxiety, Stress & Coping, 29:2
Bond, FW & Bunce, D. (2000) Mediators of change in emotion-focused and problem-focused worksite stress management interventions. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5:1.
Ek, D, Hedensjö, B & Livheim, F (2017). Tid att leva: ett tioveckors program för stresshantering med ACT och medveten närvaro. Natur & Kultur, Stockholm.
