Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Design, Manufacture, and Reporting of Weak and Pseudo-Tests: The Case of ACT

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Scientific testing, including randomly controlled trials, can vary in quality. We describe the Popperian concept of severe testing and delineate ways in which a randomly controlled trial can be weakened and thus made easier to pass. The acceptance and commitment (ACT) publications we have examined appear to instantiate many of these problematic research features. This contributes to the concern regarding overselling of ACT. We call for an explication of these sorts of design features when these occur as well as a minimization of these to decrease the number of false positive results. In addition, we respond to claims of misreading and misinterpretation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abramson, L. Y., Seligman, M. E. P., & Teasdale, J. D. (1978). Learned helplessness in humans: Critique and reformulation. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 87, 49–74.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bach, P., & Hayes, S. C. (2002). The use of acceptance and commitment therapy to prevent the rehospitalization of psychotic patients: A randomly controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 70, 1129–1139.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Corrigan, P. W. (2001). Getting ahead of the data: A threat to some behavior therapies. The Behavior Therapist, 24(9), 189–193.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coyne, J. (2012, October 22). Mind and the brain. Retrieved from Troubles in Branding of Psychotherapies as “Evidence Supported” http://blogs.plos.org/mindthebrain/2012/10/22/troubles-in-the-branding-of-psychotherapies-as-evidence-supported/.

  • Gregg, J. A., Callaghan, G. M., Hayes, S. C., & Glenn-Lawson, J. L. (2007). Improving diabetes self-management through acceptance, mindfulness, and values: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 75(2), 336.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Greg, J. A. & Hayes, S. C. (2015). The progression of programmatic research in contextual behavioral science: Response to O’Donohue, Snipes, and Soto. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 1–9. doi:10.1007/s10879-015-9312-5.

  • Hooper, N. & Larsson, A. (in press). The research journey of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

  • O’Donohue, W. (2013). Clinical psychology and the philosophy of science. New York: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • O’Donohue, W., & Halsey, L. (1997). The substance of the scientist-practitioner relation: Freud, rogers, skinner, and ellis. New Ideas in Psychology, 15, 35–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Popper, K. R. (2002). Conjectures and refutations. New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roche, B., Forsyth, J. P., & Maher, E. (2007). The impact of demand characteristics on brief acceptance-and control-based interventions for pain tolerance. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 14(4), 381–393.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Urbach, P. (1978). The objective promise of a research programme. In G. Radnitzky & G. Andersson (Eds.), Progress and rationality in science (pp. 99–113). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia Street, Mail Stop 298, Reno, NV, 89557, USA

    William O’Donohue, Cassandra Snipes & Cyndy Soto

Authors
  1. William O’Donohue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cassandra Snipes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Cyndy Soto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cassandra Snipes.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

O’Donohue, W., Snipes, C. & Soto, C. The Design, Manufacture, and Reporting of Weak and Pseudo-Tests: The Case of ACT. J Contemp Psychother 46, 37–40 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-015-9316-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-015-9316-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation