Acceptance and Commitment Therapy With Survivors of Adult Sexual Assault: A Case Study

A number of studies have found experiential avoidance to mediate the relationship between sexual assault and adverse long-term effects. One treatment approach that has been developed for the treatment of experiential avoidance is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). A small body of research has demonstrated preliminary efficacy for the use of ACT with trauma survivors suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, no treatment studies to date have evaluated ACT as a treatment model with survivors of adult sexual assault. In this case study, ACT was applied to an 18-year-old survivor of adult sexual assault suffering from PTSD symptoms. The results indicated that ACT was effective in reducing experiential avoidance, thought suppression, trauma symptomatology, and increasing valued action and quality of life. The findings of this study suggest that the use of grounding techniques, visual metaphors, and experiential mindfulness exercises in ACT may be particularly helpful for survivors of adult sexual assault.