Tyndall, Ian T. and Waldeck, Daniel and Pancani, Luca and Whelan, Robert and Roche, Bryan and Dawson, David L. (2018) The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II) as a measure of experiential avoidance: Concerns over discriminant validity. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 12. pp. 278-284. ISSN 2212-1447

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Abstract

Psychological inflexibility and experiential avoidance are key constructs in the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) model of behavior change. Wolgast (2014) questioned the construct validity of the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II), the most used self-report instrument to assess the efficacy of ACT interventions. Wolgast suggested that the AAQ-II measured psychological distress rather than psychological inflexibility and experiential avoidance. The current study further examined the construct validity of the AAQ-II by conducting an online cross-sectional survey (n = 524), including separate measures of experiential avoidance and psychological distress. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that items from the AAQ-II correlated more highly with measures of depression, anxiety, and stress than the Brief Experiential Avoidance Questionnaire (BEAQ). Implications include that, as broad measures of experiential avoidance, the AAQ-II and BEAQ may not measure the same construct. In terms of psychological distress, the BEAQ has greater discriminant validity than the AAQ-II, and perhaps an alternative instrument of psychological inflexibility might be needed to assess core outcomes in ACT intervention research.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	This is the preprint version of the published article.
Keywords:	Experiential avoidance; psychological flexibility; psychological distress; AAQ-II; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
Item ID:	13550
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2018.09.005
Depositing User:	Dr. Bryan Roche
Date Deposited:	11 Nov 2020 17:28
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science
Publisher:	Elsevier
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Publisher
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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