ATS Literature Review, Consultations & Trial - Odyssey House

Amphetamine‐Type Stimulants: Development of a Treatment Protocol
Within the AOD treatment area, CBT has been tested and utilised in relapse prevention (Marlatt &
Gordon, 1985) and coping skills therapy (Monti, Abrams, Kadden & Cooney, 1989). The PsyCheck
program, developed by Lee and colleagues (2007a) provides a CBT intervention for use in AOD
services working with people with co‐occurring mental health problems.
Lee and Rawson (2008) found a relatively small number of randomised control studies in the
literature. Studies most commonly reported were studies of CBT and/or contingency management,
with CBT trials showing reductions in methamphetamine use and other positive changes, even over
short periods of time. The authors found it was not clear if gains associated with contingency
management are sustained long‐term.
3.8. Third Wave Therapies
During the last two decades a number of therapies, under the name of the ‘third wave’ of cognitive
behaviour therapy (CBT), have been developed. These include Acceptance and Commitment
Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioural Analysis System of
Psychotherapy (CBASP), Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP), and Integrative Behavioural
Couple Therapy (IBCT). They are grounded in an empirical, principle‐focused approach, and are
particularly sensitive to the context and functions of psychological phenomena and thus tend to
emphasize contextual and experiential change strategies in addition to more direct and didactic
strategies (Hayes, 2004).
Developed within a coherent theoretical and philosophical framework, Acceptance and Commitment
Therapy (ACT) is a unique empirically based psychological intervention that uses acceptance and
mindfulness strategies, together with commitment and behaviour change strategies, to increase
psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility means contacting the present moment fully as a
conscious human being, and based on what the situation affords, changing or persisting in behaviour
in relation to chosen values.
Based on Relational Frame Theory 3 , ACT illuminates the ways that language entangles clients in their
attempts to understand their own inner lives. Through metaphor, paradox, and experiential
exercises clients learn how to make healthy contact with thoughts, feelings, memories, and physical
sensations that have been feared and avoided. This helps the person to gain the skills to
recontextualize and accept these private events, develop greater clarity about personal values, and
commit to needed behaviour change.
ACT gets its name from one of its core messages: to accept what is out of your personal control,
while committing to do whatever you can to improve your quality of life. The aim of ACT is to help
people create a rich, full and meaningful life, while effectively handling the pain and stress that life
inevitably brings. It does this by:
a) Teaching mindfulness skills to deal with painful thoughts and feelings effectively – in such a
way that they have much less impact and influence over the person.
b) Helping participants to clarify what is truly important and meaningful ‐ i.e. an examination of
personal values ‐ then use that knowledge to guide, inspire and become motivated to change
their life for the better.
3 Relational Frame Theory is a psychological theory of human language and cognition, developed largely by
Steven Hayes (who also developed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and Dermot Barnes‐Holmes. It is
based on the philosophical roots of functional contextualism, and focuses on how humans learn language
through interactions with the environment.
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