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Treating Inpatients With Comorbid Depression and Alcohol Use Disorders: A Comparison of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Versus Treatment as Usual

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Abstract

Inpatients involuntarily committed to a chemical dependency unit and exhibiting a co-occurring depressive disorder received either individual sessions of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) or treatment as usual (TAU) within the context of an ongoing 12-step program. Results indicated significant, but equivalent, reductions in levels of depression for both treatment conditions. However, participants randomly assigned to receive ACT (n = 12) required a shorter treatment phase and smaller dose of individual therapy to meet criteria for discharge compared to their TAU counterparts (n = 12). As expected, an analysis of the therapeutic process suggested that a differential reduction in levels of experiential avoidance associated with ACT may have contributed to its apparent relatively greater therapeutic impact. Limitations of the study, as well as its possible implications for the treatment of comorbid depression and alcohol use disorders in particular, and of co-occurring presenting clinical problems in general, are discussed.

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Author notes

  1. Connie L. Petersen

    Present address: Behavioral Health Specialists, Inc., Norfolk, NE, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, 67208, USA

    Connie L. Petersen & Robert D. Zettle

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  1. Connie L. Petersen
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  2. Robert D. Zettle
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Correspondence to Robert D. Zettle.

Additional information

This article is based upon the doctoral dissertation of the first author, conducted under the supervision of the second author. The first author would like to thank the staff of Mississippi State Hospital, Whitfield, MS, for their support of this project and Tiffany Anderson, in particular, for her assistance in conducting participant evaluations.

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Petersen, C.L., Zettle, R.D. Treating Inpatients With Comorbid Depression and Alcohol Use Disorders: A Comparison of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Versus Treatment as Usual. Psychol Rec 59, 521–536 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03395679

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