Experiential avoidance: a look at the role of a defusion technique and an incentive in the cold pressor task
Graduation Date
2014
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Other
Program
Thesis (M.A.)--Humboldt State University, Psychology: Counseling, 2014
Committee Chair Name
Lizabeth Eckerd
Committee Chair Affiliation
HSU Faculty or Staff
Keywords
Incentive, Acceptance and commitment therapy, Humboldt State University -- Theses -- Psychology, Relational frame theory, Experiential avoidance, ACT, Cognitive defusion, AAQ-II, Cold pressor
Abstract
The construct of experiential avoidance (EA) is defined as one's inability to remain in present contact with negatively evaluated thoughts, feelings, emotions, or painful sensations (Hayes, Strosahl, Wilson, 1999). Humans use their internal dialogue as part of the process in avoiding these unwanted experiences. They do this in ways such as telling themselves not to feel or think about the things they want to avoid. Using this internal dialogue or language has the paradoxical effect of increasing the intensity and duration of the experience that one is trying to avoid (Wegner, Schneider, Carter, White, 1987). Relational Frame Theory (RFT) (Fletcher Hayes, 2005) offers an explanation of how this happens for the individual. RFT explains how humans understand the meaning behind words and how these meanings can work against them. For example, if one thinks they are depressed they may believe that they are everything that is associated with their understanding of the word depression. The person may wish to avoid feeling this depression so they in turn decide not to feel depressed. Unfortunately this does not work for the individual because of the associations they have with the word depression. One way to separate the individual from the associations with the word depression would be a cognitive defusion exercise. These exercises are an essential part of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a behaviorally based psychotherapy that accounts for human language. The decrease of one's experiential avoidance (EA) is a target of this psychotherapy. Cognitive defusion techniques are used to decrease EA. These techniques involve decreasing one's attachment to the literal meaning of words. The present study sought to build on past research around experiential avoidance adding an incentive group and a cognitive defusion group to past research (Zettle, Barner, Gird, Boone, Renollet, Burdsal, 2012). Participants (N = 49) displaying high (N = 25) versus low (N = 24) levels of experiential avoidance as measured by the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire II (Bond, Hayes, Baer, Carpenter, Guenole, Orcutt, Waltz, Zettle, 2011), were divided into three groups: a control group, a defusion group, and an incentive group. The participants were then compared on their performance in a cold pressor task. The cold pressor task involved participants submerging their hand in 33° degree water for up to two minutes. The time they stated they felt pain was subtracted from when they removed their hand from the water. This measurement was labeled endurance and was used as the dependent variable. In all groups high avoidant participants removed their hands from the water quicker than low avoidant participants. This finding is consistent with past research on experiential avoidance. The study also sought to investigate whether a defusion group would endure longer than a control group. The results did not support this hypothesis. Finally a research question was asked to see if there was a difference between high EA participants in the incentive and control groups. Results did not support a difference between high EA participants from the control group and high EA participants from the incentive group.
Recommended Citation
Heidebrecht, Broch Jeffrey, "Experiential avoidance: a look at the role of a defusion technique and an incentive in the cold pressor task" (2014). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 1202.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/1202
https://scholarworks.calstate.edu/concern/theses/j098zd43p