Scientific support for ACT and DNA-V with adolescents

DNA-V-specific research is accumulating, and the model has been examined across various settings including clinical, school, and communities. The model is updated continuously to incorporate new research findings and this list aims to share some of the most prominent studies. 

If there is another study you think should be listed here, please reach out and let us know!

• Armstrong, A. B., Morrison, K. L., & Twohig, M. P. (2013). A preliminary investigation of acceptance and commitment therapy for adolescent obsessive-compulsive disorder. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 27(2), 175–190.
• Binder, F., Mehl, R., Resch, F., Kaess, M., & Koenig, J. (2023). Interventions based on acceptance and commitment therapy for stress reduction in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Psychopathology, 1-17. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1159/000535048.
• Brown, F. J., & Hooper, S. (2009). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) with a learning disabled young person experiencing anxious and obsessive thoughts. In Journal of intellectual disabilities: JOID: Vol. 13 (Issue 3, pp. 195–201).
• Bryan, C. J., Yeager, D. S., Hinojosa, C. P., Chabot, A., Bergen, H., Kawamura, M., & Steubing, F. (2016). Harnessing adolescent values to motivate healthier eating. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(39), 10830–10835.
• Burley, J., & McAloon, J. (2023). Group acceptance and commitment therapy for adolescent anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2023.11.003
• Ciarrochi, J., Atkins, P. W. B., Hayes, L. L., Sahdra, B. K., & Parker, P. (2016). Contextual Positive Psychology: Policy Recommendations for Implementing Positive Psychology into Schools. Frontiers in Psychology, 7(OCT), 1561.
• Ciarrochi, J., & Hayes, L. (2016). Mindfulness-based social and emotional learning: a new approach to promoting positive development in young people. Scan: Online Journal for Educators, 35, 37–46.
• Ciarrochi, J., & Hayes, L. (2018). Shaping DNA (Discoverer, Noticer, Advisor): A contextual behavioral science approach to youth intervention. In D. Wilson & S. C. Hayes (Eds.), Evolution and Contextual Behavioral Science: An Integrated Framework for Understanding, Predicting, and Influencing Human Behavior. New Harbinger.
• Falkner, S, O’Dell, S., Golden, J. (July 24-29 2018). Targeting Psychological Flexibility, sleep hygiene, and physical activity in high school students using DNA-V model. Annual conference for the Association of Contextual Behavioral Science, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
• Flujas-Contreras, J. M., & Gómez, I. (2018). Improving flexible parenting with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: A case study. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 8, 29–35.
• Fortuna, L. R., Porche, M. V., & Padilla, A. (2018). A treatment development study of a cognitive and mindfulness‐based therapy for adolescents with co‐occurring post‐traumatic stress and substance use disorder. Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice: The Official Journal of Division 49, Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy of the American Psychological Association. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/papt.12143
• Gillard, D., Flaxman, P., & Hooper, N. (2018). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Applications for Educational Psychologists within Schools. Educational Psychology in Practice, 34(3), 272–281.
• Ghorbanikhah, E., Mohammadyfar, M. A., & Moradi, S. (2023). The effectiveness of acceptance-and-commitment-based parenting training on mood and anxiety in children and self-compassion in parents. Journal of Practice in Clinical Psychology.
• Gould, E. R., Tarbox, J., & Coyne, L. (2018). Evaluating the effects of Acceptance and Commitment Training on the overt behavior of parents of children with autism. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 7(June), 81–88.
• Gur, A. & Reich, A. (2023). Psychological flexibility of parents of children with disabilities: A systematic literature review. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 136.
• Hancock, K. M., Swain, J., Hainsworth, C. J., Dixon, A. L., Koo, S., & Munro, K. (2018). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy versus Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Children With Anxiety: Outcomes of a Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology: The Official Journal for the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, American Psychological Association, Division 53, 47(2), 296–311.
• Hayes, L., Boyd, C. P., & Sewell, J. (2011). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Adolescent Depression: A Pilot Study in a Psychiatric Outpatient Setting. Mindfulness, 2(2), 86–94.
• Hayes, L., & Ciarrochi, J. (n.d.). Growing up flexibly: DNA-v as a contextual behavioural science approach to working with young people. In Levin, M. E., Twohig, M. P., & Krafft, J. (Ed.), Recent Innovations in ACT. 2019.
• Kemani, M. K., Kanstrup, M., & Jordan, A. (2018). Evaluation of an Intensive Interdisciplinary Pain Treatment Based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Adolescents With Chronic Pain and Their Parents: Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 43(9), 981-994. https://academic.oup.com/jpepsy/advance-article/doi/10.1093/jpepsy/jsy031/4999073
• Leadbitter K, Langhorne S, Smallman R et al. Clinical effectiveness of an online psychoeducational and psychotherapeutic programme for caregivers of children newly diagnosed as autistic: a parallel, assessor-masked, randomised controlled trial in the UK (REACH-ASD) The Lancet Psychiatry, 2025; 12, 289-302 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(25)00036-7/fulltext
• Livheim, F. (2019). ACT treatment for youth – A contextual behavioral approach.
• Livheim, F., Hayes, L., Ghaderi, A., Magnusdottir, T., Högfeldt, A., Rowse, J., Turner, S., Hayes, S. C., & Tengström, A. (2015). The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for adolescent mental health: Swedish and Australian pilot outcomes. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24(4), 1016–1030.
• Lunsky, Y., Fung, K., Lake, J., Steel, L., & Bryce, K. (2018). Evaluation of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Mothers of Children and Youth with Autism SpectrumDisorder. Mindfulness, 9(4), 1110–1116.
• Martin, S., Wolters, P. L., Toledo-Tamula, M. A., Schmitt, S. N., Baldwin, A., Starosta, A., Gillespie, A., & Widemann, B. (2016). Acceptance and commitment therapy in youth with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and chronic pain and their parents: A pilot study of feasibility and preliminary efficacy. American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part A, 170(6), 1462–1470.
• Maughan, A. L., Lunsky, Y., Lake, J., Mills, J. S., Fung, K., Steel, L., & Weiss, J. A. (2023). Parent, child, and family outcomes following Acceptance And Commitment Therapy for parents of autistic children: A randomized controlled trial. Autism, 0.
• Moyer, D. N., Page, A. R., McMakin, D. Q., Murrell, A. R., Lester, E. G., & Walker, H. A. (2018). The Impact of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on Positive Parenting Strategies Among Parents Who Have Experienced Relationship Violence. Journal of Family Violence, 33(4), 269–279.
• Perry-Parrish, C., Copeland-Linder, N., Webb, L., & Sibinga, E. M. S. (2016). Mindfulness-Based Approaches for Children and Youth. Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, 46(6), 172–178.
• Swain, J., Hancock, K., Dixon, A., & Bowman, J. (2015). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for children: A systematic review of intervention studies. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 4(2), 73–85.
• Timko, C. A., Zucker, N. L., Herbert, J. D., Rodriguez, D., & Merwin, R. M. (2015). An open trial of Acceptance-based Separated Family Treatment (ASFT) for adolescents with anorexia nervosa. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 69, 63–74.
• Wersebe, H., Lieb, R., Meyer, A. H., Hofer, P., & Gloster, A. T. (2018). The link between stress, well-being, and psychological flexibility during an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy self-help intervention. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology: IJCHP, 18(1), 60–68.
• Williams, K. E., Ciarrochi, J., & Heaven, P. C. L. (2012). Inflexible parents, inflexible kids: a 6-year longitudinal study of parenting style and the development of psychological flexibility in adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 41(8), 1053–1066.
• Woidneck, M. R., Morrison, K. L., & Twohig, M. P. (2014). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Among Adolescents. Behavior Modification, 38(4), 451–476.