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When individuals are engaging in behavior that is under aversive control, the behavior becomes relatively insensitive to changes in the environment except for escape or avoidance contingencies. Teaching individuals to increase behavioral and psychological flexibility in the presence of potentially aversive stimuli is a goal of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT therapists use personal values to motivate clients to engage in meaningful behaviors despite ever-changing, and often aversive, contexts. The aim of the current study was to examine the effects of a values intervention on participant's willingness to approach established aversive stimuli. College students (n = 200) completed questionnaires and participated in behavioral approach tasks with aversive stimuli. Individuals were more likely to approach if approach was related to a personal value versus a relatively arbitrary reward (i.e. tickets) or without any specified consequence. Psychological inflexibility did not moderate the relationship between condition and approach. However, the values intervention condition did produce greater levels of approach than the control conditions. Previous studies have examined the impact of combined values and acceptance interventions. The evidence from this study suggests that values interventions alone may influence behavior. • Subjects in values condition completed more steps in BAT than other conditions. • Subjects in tickets only condition completed more BAT steps than those in control. • Psychological inflexibility did not moderate condition and outcome variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioral researchers are concluding that conventional group-based analyses often mask meaningful individual differences and do not necessarily map onto the change processes within the lives of individual humans. Hayes et al. (2018) have called for a renewed focus on idiographic research, but with methods capable of nuanced multivariate insights and capable of scaling to nomothetic generalizations. To that end, we present a statistical technique we believe may be useful for the task: the dynamic p-technique. The dynamic p-technique can accommodate multivariate longitudinal data and may be used to conduct single-subject and group-level analyses. After introducing the dynamic p-technique, we provide several examples of how it may be used in practice by presenting the step-by-step analyses of single-subject daily-diary dataset wherein we examined the day-to-day associations between ADHD difficulties and psychotropic medication. Although it has been underutilized by behavioral researchers, we believe p-technique analyses are particularly well-suited to model personal dynamics with nuance and within context and allow researchers to inductively build from idiographic patterns to nomothetic trends. For a fine-grain walk-through of the analyses presented, including the data and statistical code, link to our supplemental materials https://osf.io/cbyj3/ • Behavioral processes are often complex and person centered. • Statistical frameworks should accommodate person-centered and group-based data. • The dynamic p-technique is such a framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research suggests that meaning in life relates to processes of social judgments and could facilitate relationships between racially diverse individuals. At this time however, there is no study that examines factors that influence the relationship between meaning, racial prejudice, and values. To fill this gap, the present study examined whether (1) self-transcendence and (2) psychological inflexibility mediates the relationship between perceived meaning in life and prejudice. The study was conducted with 253 White students (females, 77.9%; males, 22.1%) from a university located in the southern United States. Standard path-analytic approaches through the macro PROCESS program were used to examine a parallel mediational model. Results evidenced that self-transcendence and psychological inflexibility had a significant indirect effect on the relationship between meaning in life and prejudice, and that reversely, meaning also functioned as a mediator of self-transcendence and prejudice and psychological inflexibility and prejudice. Findings suggest that among White college students the effect of meaning on prejudice changes in the context of self-transcendence and psychological inflexibility, and that without self-transcendence and psychological flexibility, meaning could actually result in greater prejudice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Sexual racism is a unique stressor for men of color who have sex with men (MCSM). • Experienced sexual racism is related to higher body dissatisfaction in MCSM. • MCSM report higher engagement in muscularity-increasing behaviors than White MSM. • Body image inflexibility (BIF) was related to higher body dissatisfaction. • BIF moderated the relationship between sexual racism and body dissatisfaction. Abstract Body image research with men who have sex with men (MSM) has largely focused on White MSM. The current study aimed to investigate whether men of color who have sex with men (MCSM) report similar levels of body dissatisfaction as White MSM. We also studied whether (a) the experience of sexual racism, a unique stressor for MCSM, is related to body dissatisfaction and (b) body image inflexibility moderates the relationship between sexual racism and muscularity-oriented behaviors. White MSM and MCSM (total N = 887) recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk completed questionnaires assessing body dissatisfaction, body image flexibility, and experienced sexual racism on Qualtrics. We found that MCSM report more engagement in behaviors aimed at changing their bodies than White MSM. Additionally, experiencing sexual racism was related to higher body dissatisfaction and body image inflexibility in MCSM. In addition, body image inflexibility moderated by strengthening the association between experiencing sexual racism and muscularity-oriented behaviors. The present study highlights the need for further research with this understudied population, including intervention studies on mitigating the impact of experiencing sexual racism by increasing psychological and body image flexibility and studies aimed at reducing the incidence of sexual racism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School-based sexuality education provides a means of disseminating valuable information about decision making and avoidance of risky behaviors that may result in an unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted infection; however, effective teacher training is required for efficacious sexuality education programs. The purpose of this paper is to describe changes in participants' perceptions and adoption of evidence-based sexuality education after attending a unique professional development opportunity for teachers of sexuality education using a Diffusion of Innovation Theory framework. METHODS: A non-representative sample of 20 public school health education teachers (85% female) from across the state of Texas participated in the Sexuality Education Academy (SEA), and completed pre-, post-, and six-month follow-up Web-based surveys. Descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to measure change in perceptions and adoption of evidence-based sexuality education. RESULTS: Statistically significant changes were found between pre- and post-test scores in relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, and observability. At six-month follow-up, participants indicated increased advocacy for and implementation of evidence-based sexuality education practices. CONCLUSIONS: Teacher training can improve sexuality education teachers' understanding, confidence and effectiveness in delivery of evidence-based sexuality education within school settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-compassion has recently emerged as a component of psychological health. Research on self-compassion processes shows that self-compassion is related to lower levels of psychological distress and higher levels of positive affect. The current study examined the extent to which self-compassion is related to the quality of romantic relationships. Undergraduates ( n  = 261) completed online self-report questionnaires assessing self-compassion and relationship quality. Correlational and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted in order to assess the relation between self-compassion and relationship quality. Results indicated that self-compassion was moderately positively correlated with relationship quality, and that self-compassion was a unique, if weak, predictor of relationship quality. Implications of these findings for romantic relationships are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unhealthy relationships have a devastating impact on adolescents' academic performance, including poor attendance, difficulty concentrating, and feeling unsafe at school. Schools provide an ideal setting to positively influence adolescents' attitudes, knowledge, and relationship skills by integrating healthy relationship lessons into sexuality and/or violence prevention units. The primary goal of these units is to promote positive health behaviors and reduce unhealthy behaviors in order to decrease adolescents' risk for short- and long-term academic and health consequences. Therefore, the purpose of this teaching technique is to increase adolescents' ability to identify characteristics and corresponding behaviors of healthy and unhealthy relationships including romantic/dating, friendships, and familial relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite efforts to improve university retention, many low-income students are leaving college without a degree. The current study evaluated the preliminary effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Training for low-income students at risk for academic failure. In general, participants exhibited improved academic performance the following semester, which was predicted from valued living. Fifty-seven percent of participants graduated within six years, surpassing the graduation rate of a comparison group and exceeding national graduation rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive drinking among college students, which is influenced by an array of factors ranging from campus norms to membership in student organizations, has been linked to consequences including motor vehicle accidents, cognitive deficits, arrests, overdoses, assaults, and death. Considering the severity of consequences related to drinking, education on alcohol safety is essential. Communicating alcohol safety messages via social media outlets serves as a platform for members of campus-based student organizations to influence their peers to practice safe alcohol behaviors, which may lead to a decrease in negative alcohol-related outcomes for college students. This teaching technique will engage participants to develop social media messages to advocate for and promote alcohol safety. The leadership qualities of communicating, listening, and having relationships will guide participants as they create advocacy messages for alcohol safety that can be shared on social media outlets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a multilevel approach that uncovers how day-to-day variations in workload influence life satisfaction by creating work–family conflict, as well as the role supportive supervisors play in influencing these daily relationships. In this experience-sampling study, 135 employees responded to 2 daily surveys (one at work and one at home) for 5 days and a one-time post-study survey. With a total of 810 surveys, hierarchical linear modeling revealed that employees' daily perceived workload positively predicted daily work–family conflict, which in turn negatively predicted daily life satisfaction. Importantly, we found support for a cross-level interaction where supervisor work–family specific support (measured once in the post-study survey) negatively moderated the relationship between daily workload and work–family conflict, attesting the importance of supervisory support in reducing daily interference between work and family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Interactions between the microbiota and distal gut are fundamental determinants of human health. Such interactions are concentrated at the colonic mucosa and provide energy for the host epithelium through the production of the short-chain fatty acid butyrate. We sought to determine the role of epithelial butyrate metabolism in establishing the austere oxygenation profile of the distal gut. Bacteria-derived butyrate affects epithelial O 2 consumption and results in stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), a transcription factor coordinating barrier protection. Antibiotic-mediated depletion of the microbiota reduces colonic butyrate and HIF expression, both of which are restored by butyrate supplementation. Additionally, germ-free mice exhibit diminished retention of O 2 -sensitive dyes and decreased stabilized HIF. Furthermore, the influences of butyrate are lost in cells lacking HIF, thus linking butyrate metabolism to stabilized HIF and barrier function. This work highlights a mechanism where host-microbe interactions augment barrier function in the distal gut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This teaching technique will help students access and analyze health related information through a technology based platform, specifically a text messaging service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faculty and staff health promotion is a cost-saving component of coordinated school health, but little is known about the comprehensiveness of these programs. Self-insured school districts require employees to contribute directly to the district's health insurance pool. The purpose of this pilot study was to identify the prevalence of self-insurance within Texas school districts and compare districts' health promotion efforts to agency-insured counterparts. Using an electronic questionnaire, human resource personnel described the characteristics of their district's insurance status, health insurance coverage, health promotion program components, and considerations when planning health-promoting activities or services for school faculty and staff. Thirteen percent of respondents reported their school districts as self-insured. No significant differences between self-insured and agencyinsured districts were discovered regarding health insurance coverage, district-offered health promotion, physical activity promotion, planning considerations, or utilization of community resources. Regardless of insurance type, findings indicated an overall lack in comprehensiveness of districtoffered health promotion services. This study supports the need to further investigate this school health component so that district employees can financially and physically benefit from health promotion activities or services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined risk factors and perceived severity of obstructive sleep apnea-related conditions among college students based on weight categories. Data collected from 1399 college students were analyzed using multinomial and binary logistic regressions. Overweight and obese participants were more likely to snore and report familial risk for cardiovascular disease compared with their normal weight counterparts. Relative to normal weight participants, obese participants perceived snoring (odds ratio [OR] = 1.10), irritability (OR = 1.16), and high blood pressure (OR = 1.21) as more severe; they perceived erectile dysfunction (OR = 0.89) and cardiovascular disease (OR = 0.71) as less severe. Efforts are needed to identify obstructive sleep apnea risk and create systems for weight loss interventions, screening, and diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This article explores some tensions between contextual behavioral science (CBS) and radical behaviorism or behavior analysis (BA), particularly with respect to the study of emotion. We contrast Darrow and Follette׳s (2014) discussion of alexithymia from a radical behavioral perspective, which we view as representing a traditional behavior analytic approach, with a CBS approach, as we understand it. As a convenient anchor for our discussion, we discuss how CBS and BA might view the term “love.” We present suggestions for how “love” may be used as a middle-level term in a CBS approach, and why usage of such middle-level terms is important to the mission of CBS to create a science more adequate to the challenges of the human condition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Would You Rather (WYR), with a Sexual Health Twist! teaching technique uses two youth games, "Would you rather..." and Twister®, to actively engage students in developing decision-making skills regarding human sexuality. Utilizing the "Would you rather" choices, the teacher provides a short scenario with two difficult choices. Student groups identify the choice they believe is best, provide three reasons for the group choice, and offer one pro and con for the choice. Additionally, student groups provide one source of credible health information related to their choice. The lesson incorporates the game Twister® to facilitate student movement when reporting the "Would you rather..." choice their group selected. Student assessment includes an interactive discussion identifying which choice was most challenging, the importance of considering the pros and cons prior to making decisions, and common characteristics of credible health information sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Acceptance and mindfulness components are increasingly incorporated into treatment for eating disorders with promising results. The development of measures of proposed change processes would facilitate ongoing scientific progress. The current series of studies evaluated one such instrument, the Body Image-Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (BI-AAQ), which was designed to measure body image flexibility. Study one focused on the generation and reduction of items for the BI-AAQ and a demonstration of construct validity. Body image flexibility was associated with increased psychological flexibility, decreased body image dissatisfaction, and less disordered eating. Study two demonstrated adequate internal consistency and test–retest reliability of BI-AAQ. Study three extended findings related to structural and construct validity, and demonstrated an indirect effect of body image dissatisfaction on disordered eating via body image flexibility. Research and clinical utility of the BI-AAQ are discussed. The BI-AAQ is proposed as a measure of body image flexibility, a potential change process in acceptance-oriented treatments of eating disorders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The present article describes the nature, scope, and purpose of Contextual Behavioral Science (CBS). Emerging from behavioral psychology but expanding from those roots, CBS is based on contextual assumptions regarding the centrality of situated action, the nature of epistemology versus ontology, and a pragmatic truth criterion linked to the specific goal of predicting-and-influencing psychological events with precision, scope, and depth. These assumptions and goals explain the characteristic features of CBS including its environmentalism, focus on theory and principles, and its reticulated or networked program of theory development, research and practice. Domains of development include increased linkage to multi-dimensional and multi-level evolution science; development of principles that describe the interaction of behavior and symbolic events with genetic, epigenetic, and cultural dimensions; expansion of theoretical and model development to a broader range of areas of human complexity; advances in measurement theory and practice; the development of techniques and components linked to contextual processes and principles; broad testing of these methods; additional research on mediation and moderation; more concern for effectiveness and training; and enhancement of a diverse development community. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has been shown to have broad applicability to different diagnostic groups, and there are theoretical reasons to consider its use with clients with chronic mental health problems. We report an innovative treatment development evaluation of ACT for a heterogeneous group of ”treatment-resistant clients” (N =10) who had attended a mean of 3.5 previous psychological interventions. All clients had Axis I presentations and half met diagnostic criteria for Axis II disorders. Functioning, assessed at pre- and postintervention, and at 6- and 12-month follow-up, showed improvements over time on all primary outcome measures, driven largely by significant changes occurring between baseline and 6-month follow-up. Improvements were associated with ACT processes of change. The data thus suggest that a broad range of clients who had not benefited from standard care may benefit from ACT. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Data suggest that individuals dealing with a cancer diagnosis are less likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, and psychological distress when they cope with their condition from a stance of emotional and cognitive acceptance (e.g. Dunkel, et al., 1992; Stanton, et al., 2000). Although traditional CBT often includes some acceptance-oriented elements, recent variants of CBT, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), have acceptance as a central focus. ACT targets emotional distress directly through acceptance of difficult thoughts and emotions. The current study is a preliminary comparison of ACT and treatment as usual (TAU) in the treatment of emotional distress among women with late-stage ovarian cancer. Forty-seven women diagnosed with Stage III or IV ovarian cancer were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions. Treatment consisted of 12 face-to-face meetings with a therapist, each following a TAU or ACT protocol. Results indicate that both groups showed improved mood and quality of life following the intervention. The ACT group showed significantly greater improvements compared to the TAU group. Furthermore, mediation analyses indicate that the effects of treatment were mediated by cognitive avoidance. Although the study is limited by the implementation of treatment in both conditions by a single therapist, the TAU group showed improvements that were consistent with effect sizes available in the literature, suggesting that the intervention was a credible and effective control treatment. These findings provide preliminary support for the use of ACT in ovarian cancer populations. Further work is needed to investigate the effectiveness in other oncology populations as well as investigate potential patient characteristics which may interact with these interventions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Many clients who undergo methadone maintenance (MM) treatment for heroin and other opiate dependence prefer abstinence from methadone. Attempts at methadone detoxification are often unsuccessful, however, due to distressing physical as well as psychological symptoms. Outcomes from an MM client who voluntarily participated in an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)–based methadone detoxification program are presented. The program consisted of a 1-month stabilization and 5-month gradual methadone dose reduction period, combined with weekly individual ACT sessions. Urine samples were collected twice weekly to assess for use of illicit drugs. The participant successfully completed the program and had favorable drug use outcomes during the course of treatment, and at the 1-month and 1-year follow-ups. Innovative behavior therapies, such as ACT, that focus on acceptance of the inevitable distress associated with opiate withdrawal may improve methadone detoxification outcomes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]