ACT in the workplace offers a range of interventions aimed at promoting well-being, resilience, mental health, and overall work-related satisfaction. It has also found applications in the coaching domain. Research in this field has been steadily growing, providing substantial support for the model’s effectiveness in workplace settings. Below, you will find a curated list of resources, books, and research papers that delve into the application of ACT in the workplace, offering comprehensive insights and guidance.
These resources, books, and research papers offer valuable insights into the application of ACT in the workplace, providing guidance and support for enhancing well-being and effectiveness in work-related contexts. Explore these resources to gain a comprehensive understanding of how ACT can be effectively utilised in the workplace.
Books and book chapters
Bond, F. W., Flaxman, P. E., & Lloyd, J. (2016). Mindfulness and meditation in the workplace: An acceptance and commitment therapy approach. In: Michael A. West, ed. The Psychology of Meditation, Research and Practice. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199688906.
Bond, F., & Hayes, S. C. (2002). ACT at work. In F. Bond & W. Dryden (Eds.), Handbook of Brief Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (pp. 117-140). Chichester, England: Wiley.
Bond, F. W., Lloyd, J., Flaxman, P. E., & Archer, R. (2016). Psychological Flexibility and ACT at Work. The Wiley Handbook of Contextual Behavioral Science, 459-482.
Flaxman, P.E., Bond, F.W., Livheim, F., 2013. The mindful and effective employee: An acceptance and commitment therapy training manual for improving well-being and performance. New Harbinger Publications.
Flaxman & Bond (2010). Acceptance and Commitment Training: Promoting Psychological Flexibility Training in the workplace. Baer (Ed). Assessing mindfulness and acceptance processes in clients: Illuminating the theory and practice of change. New Harbinger.
Flaxman, P. E., & Bond, F. W. (2006). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in the workplace. In R. A. Baer (Ed.), Mindfulness-based treatment approaches: Clinician’s guide to evidence base and applications (pp. 377–402). Elsevier Academic Press.
Flaxman, P., Prudenzi, A. & Zernerova, L. (2023). Acceptance and commitment training in the workplace. In: Twohig, M. P., Levin, M. E. & Petersen, J. M. (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. (pp. 407-431). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Gardner & Moore (2007). The Psychology of Enhancing Human performance. Springer.
Glomb, T. M., Duffy, M. K., Bono, J. E., & Yang, T. (2011). Mindfulness at work (A. Joshi, H. Liao & J. J. Martocchio, Eds.). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Hill, J., & Oliver, J. (2019). Acceptance and Commitment Coaching: Distinctive Features. (1st ed.). London: Routledge.
Skews R., West A., & Archer R. (2021). Acceptance and Commitment Coaching in the Workplace. In: Smith WA., Boniwell I., Green S. (eds) Positive Psychology Coaching in the Workplace.
Discussion papers
Hulbert-Williams, L., Hochard, K., Hulbert-Williams, N., Archer, R., Nicholls, W., & Wilson, K. (2016). Contextual behavioural coaching: An evidence-based model for supporting behaviour change. International Coaching Psychology Review, 11(2), 142–154.
Moran, D. J. (2015). Acceptance and Commitment Training in the Workplace. Current Opinion in Psychology, 2, 26-31.
Moran, D. J. (2011). ACT for Leadership: Using acceptance and commitment training to develop crisis-resilient change managers. International Journal of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy, 7, 68-77.
Systematic reviews
Bartlett, L., Martin, A., Neil, A. L., Memish, K., Otahal, P., Kilpatrick, M., & Sanderson, K. (2019). A systematic review and meta-analysis of workplace mindfulness training randomized controlled trials. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 24, 108.
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.
Jamieson, S. D., & Tuckey, M. R. (2017). Mindfulness interventions in the workplace: A critique of the current state of the literature. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 22, 180–193.
Janssen, M., Heerkens, Y., Kuijer, W., van der Heijden, B., & Engels, J. (2018). Effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction on employees’ mental health: A systematic review. Plos One, 13, e0191332.
Prudenzi, A., Graham, C. D., Clancy, F., Hill, D., O’Driscoll, R., Day, F., & O’Connor, D. B. (2021). Group-based acceptance and commitment therapy interventions for improving general distress and work-related distress in healthcare professionals: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 295, 192–202.
Towey-Swift, K. D., Lauvrud, C., & Whittington, R. (2023). Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for professional staff burnout: A systematic review and narrative synthesis of controlled trials. Journal of Mental Health, 32(2), 452-464.
Unruh, I., Neubert, M., Wilhelm, M., & Euteneuer, F. (2022). ACT in the workplace: A meta-analytic examination of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 26, 114–124.
Virgili, M. (2015). Mindfulness-based interventions reduce psychological distress in working adults: A meta-analysis of intervention studies. Mindfulness, 6(2), 326–337.
Measurement
Bond, F.W., Lloyd, J. & Guenole, N. (2013). The work-related acceptance and action questionnaire (WAAQ): Initial psychometric findings and their implications for measuring psychological flexibility in specific contexts. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 86(3), pp. 331-347.
Holmberg, J., Kemani, M. K., Holmström, L., Öst, L.-G., & Wicksell, R. K. (2019). Evaluating the psychometric characteristics of the Work-related Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (WAAQ) in a sample of healthcare professionals. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 14, 103-107.
Randomised controlled trials
Aikens, K. A., Astin, J., Pelletier, K. R., Levanovich, K., Baase, C. M., Park, Y. Y., & Bodnar, C. M. (2014). Mindfulness goes to work: Impact of an online workplace intervention. Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 56(7), 721–731.
Bartlett, L., Lovell, P., Otahal, P., & Sanderson, K. (2017). Acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of a workplace mindfulness program for public sector employees: A pilot randomized controlled trial with informant reports. Mindfulness, 8, 639–654.
Bethay, J.S., Wilson, K.G., Schnetzer, L.W., Nassar, S.L., Bordieri, M.J., 2013. A controlled pilot evaluation of acceptance and commitment training for intellectual disability staff. Mindfulness 4, 407.
Bond, F. W. & Bunce, D. (2000). Mediators of change in emotion-focused and problem-focused worksite stress management interventions. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 5, 156–163.
Bond, F. W., & Bunce, D. (2003). The role of acceptance and job control in mental health, job satisfaction, and work performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88, 1057-1067.
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.
Carmody, J., & Baer, R. A. (2008). Relationships between mindfulness practice and levels of mindfulness, medical and psychological symptoms and well-being in a mindfulness-based stress reduction program. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 31, 23–33.
Christodoulou, V., Flaxman, P. E., Morris, E. M. J., & Oliver, J. E. (in press). Comparison of mindfulness training and acceptance and commitment therapy in a workplace setting: Results from a randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology.
Finnes, A., Enebrink, P., Sampaio, F., Sorjonen, K., Dahl, J., Ghaderi, A., Nager, A., & Feldman, I. (2019). Cost-effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy and a workplace intervention for employees on sickness absence due to mental disorders. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 59, 1211-1220.
Flaxman, P.E., Bond, F.W., 2010a. A randomised worksite comparison of acceptance and commitment therapy and stress inoculation training. Behaviour Research and Therapy 48, 816-82.
Flaxman, P. E., & Bond, F. W. (2010). Worksite stress management training: Moderated effects and clinical significance. Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, 15, 347–358.
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), 202-218.
Lloyd, J., Bond, F.W., & Flaxman, P.E. (2013). Identifying the psychological mechanisms underpinning a cognitive behavioural intervention for emotional burnout. Work & Stress, 27, 181-199.
Ly, K. H., Asplund, K., & Andersson, G. (2014). Stress management for middle managers via an acceptance and commitment-based smartphone application: A randomized controlled trial. Internet Interventions, 1, 95–101.
Jeffcoat, T., & Hayes, S. C. (2012). A randomized trial of ACT bibliotherapy on the mental health of K-12 teachers and staff. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 50(9), 571–579.
Pingo, J. C., Dixon, M. R., & Paliliunas, D. (2020). An examination of the intervention-enhancing effect of acceptance and commitment therapy–based training on direct service professionals’ performance in the workplace. Behavior Analysis in Practice, 1-11.
Prudenzi, A., D. Graham, C., Flaxman, P. E., & O’Connor, D. B. (2022). Wellbeing, burnout, and safe practice among healthcare professionals: predictive influences of mindfulness, values, and self-compassion. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 27(5), 1130-1143.
Prudenzi, A., Graham, C. D., Flaxman, P. E., Wilding, S., Day, F., & O’Connor, D. B. (2022). A workplace Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for improving healthcare staff psychological distress: A randomised controlled trial. PloS one, 17(4), e0266357.
Prudenzi, A., Graham, C. D., Flaxman, P. E., Wilding, S., Day, F., & O’Connor, D. B. (2022). A workplace Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for improving healthcare staff psychological distress: A randomised controlled trial. PloS one, 17(4), e0266357.
Puolakanaho, A., Tolvanen, A., Kinnunen, S. M., & Lappalainen, R. (2020). A psychological flexibility -based intervention for burnout: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 15, 52–67.
Reeve, A., Tickle, A., & Moghaddam, N. (2018). Are acceptance and commitment therapy-based interventions effective for reducing burnout in direct-care staff? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Mental Health Review Journal, 23(3), 131-155.
Rudaz, M., Twohig, M. P., Ong, C. W., & Levin, M. E. (2017). Mindfulness and acceptance-based trainings for fostering self-care and reducing stress in mental health professionals: A systematic review. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 6(4), 380–390.
Singh, R. S., Watford, T. S., Cotterman, R. E., & O’Brien, W. H. (2020). A pilot study of acceptance and commitment therapy for sexual minorities experiencing work stress. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 16, 25-29.
Veage, S., Ciarrochi, J., Deane, F. P., Andresen, R., Oades, L. G., & Crowe, T. P. (2014). Value congruence, importance and success and in the workplace: Links with well-being and burnout amongst mental health practitioners. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 3, 258-264.
Vilardaga, R., Luoma, J. B., Hayes, S. C., Pistorello, J., Levin, M. E., Hildebrandt, M. J., … & Bond, F. (2011). Burnout among the addiction counseling workforce: The differential roles of mindfulness and values-based processes and work-site factors. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 40, 323-335.
Waters, C.S., Frude, N., Flaxman, P.E., Boyd, J., 2018. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for clinically distressed health care workers: Waitlist-controlled evaluation of an ACT workshop in a routine practice setting. British Journal of Clinical Psychology 57, 82- 98
Zhang, C. Q., Zhang, R., Lu, Y., Liu, H., Kong, S., Baker, J. S., & Zhang, H. (2020). Occupational stressors, mental health, and sleep difficulty among nurses during the covid-19 pandemic: The mediating roles of cognitive fusion and cognitive reappraisal. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 19, 64-71.
