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Selected forest plots of meta-analytic effects linking relationship satisfaction to dimensions of flexibility and inflexibility.
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A growing body of research supports the importance of ACT's therapeutic targets (i.e., dimensions of psychological flexibility and inflexibility) for promoting individual wellbeing. The current systematic review and meta-analysis extended that work by examining how specific dimensions of psychological flexibility and inflexibility are linked to fam...
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... satisfaction. As shown in Table 4, one of the most widely studied romantic relationship correlates of psychological flexibility was relationship satisfaction. Fig. 4 presents forest plots for some of these meta-analytic effects. Consistent with Hypothesis 3, a lack of mindful contact with the present moment (Fig. 4A) and generally responding inflexibly to difficult thoughts, feelings and experiences (Fig. 4B) were predictive of lower levels of current relationship satisfaction as well as predicting ...
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... satisfaction. As shown in Table 4, one of the most widely studied romantic relationship correlates of psychological flexibility was relationship satisfaction. Fig. 4 presents forest plots for some of these meta-analytic effects. Consistent with Hypothesis 3, a lack of mindful contact with the present moment (Fig. 4A) and generally responding inflexibly to difficult thoughts, feelings and experiences (Fig. 4B) were predictive of lower levels of current relationship satisfaction as well as predicting drops in satisfaction over time (across 6 months on average). Those forms of psychological inflexibility also predicted lower levels of relationship ...
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... studied romantic relationship correlates of psychological flexibility was relationship satisfaction. Fig. 4 presents forest plots for some of these meta-analytic effects. Consistent with Hypothesis 3, a lack of mindful contact with the present moment (Fig. 4A) and generally responding inflexibly to difficult thoughts, feelings and experiences (Fig. 4B) were predictive of lower levels of current relationship satisfaction as well as predicting drops in satisfaction over time (across 6 months on average). Those forms of psychological inflexibility also predicted lower levels of relationship satisfaction in romantic partners. Similarly, self as content (i.e., judging or shaming difficult ...
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... well as predicting drops in satisfaction over time (across 6 months on average). Those forms of psychological inflexibility also predicted lower levels of relationship satisfaction in romantic partners. Similarly, self as content (i.e., judging or shaming difficult feelings/experiences) was associated with lower current relationship satisfaction (Fig. 4D). Taken together, these results highlight that employing inflexible and rigid responses to the daily stressors that occur within all romantic relationships could likely take a toll on those relationships, possibly eroding their overall quality. Alternatively, as most of those effects were cross-sectional, these results could also ...
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... were cross-sectional, these results could also suggest that relationship dissatisfaction and discord (i.e., low levels of relationship satisfaction) might shape how individuals respond to daily stressors and difficulties, drawing them toward more rigid and inflexible responses. In contrast, being able to both gently experience (i.e., defusion; Fig. 4C) and find internal compassion for and acceptance of difficult or challenging thoughts, feelings, and experiences was linked to higher levels of current relationship satisfaction, highlighting the potential benefits of psychological flexibility for global relationship ...
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... The UFM also proposed mindful acceptance and attention would facilitate the dimensions of "committed action" and "value" of psychological flexibility. Corresponding with the hypothesized structure in UFM, the present study found that psychological flexibility positively correlates with students' well-being (Daks & Rogge, 2020). In our analyses, the APS subscale stood out as a prominent predictor for both the overall SSWQ and its individual subscales including Joy of Learning, School Connectedness, Educational Purpose, and Academic Efficacy. ...
... Additionally, psychological flexibility, rooted in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Relational Frame Theory (RFT) [35], empowers parents to remain open to difficult emotions and engage in value-driven behaviors despite adversity [36,37]. Studies have consistently demonstrated the association between psychological flexibility and positive outcomes in parental psychological health, particularly among parents of children with neurodevelopmental and chronic conditions [38][39][40][41]. Thus, integrating concepts from SCT and ACT leads to a targeted framework for identifying modifiable factors that may improve parental well-being and family functioning. ...
Asthma and ADHD represent prevalent pediatric conditions, with the former being a physical disorder and the latter being a neurodevelopmental disorder. This study examined the influence of parental psychological flexibility (PF)—the ability to adapt to evolving situational demands, shift perspectives, and balance competing priorities—alongside parenting competence and asthma management self-efficacy on family functioning and parental psychological adjustment in families with children exhibiting concurrent asthma and ADHD symptoms. Baseline data were analyzed from 130 parents (mean age = 40.3 years, SD = 5.5; 88.9% mothers) of children diagnosed with both asthma and ADHD (mean age = 8.0 years, SD = 2.2; 74.6% boys), who were participating in a randomized controlled trial evaluating an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based parenting intervention. An adjusted structural equation model revealed that greater parental psychological inflexibility was significantly associated with poorer family functioning (β = −0.61, 95% CI [−0.74, −0.33], p < 0.001) and increased psychological maladjustment (β = 0.48, 95% CI [0.32, 0.63], p < 0.001), accounting for intercorrelations with parenting competence and parental asthma management self-efficacy. Additionally, parental psychological flexibility was found to mediate the relationship between parenting competence and both family functioning and psychological adjustment. These findings underscore the importance of targeting parental psychological inflexibility and enhancing parenting competence in interventions to improve family dynamics and parental mental health and thereby suggest a shift from the traditional focus on self-efficacy in symptom management for pediatric asthma and ADHD.
... The dimensions of parental psychological flexibility can serve as tools for building family connections; they may help parents distance themselves from stressful events (e.g., a child's tantrum) using techniques such as defusion, contextual self, and acceptance. This may foster deeper emotional connections, allowing parents to avoid harsh or reactive responses (e.g., yelling at the child) and instead find gentler and more compassionate responses to challenging behaviors, promoting more positive communication over time (Daks & Rogge, 2020). ...
Bu araştırmanın amacı, boşanmış ebeveynlerin psikolojik esnekliklerinin ebeveynlik stresini yordama düzeyini belirlemek ve demografik özelliklerine göre psikolojik esnekliklerini değerlendirmektir. Araştırmanın katılımcıları, resmi olarak boşanmış ve çocuğu ile birlikte yaşayan 206 anne ve babadır. 2024 yılı Haziran-Temmuz ayları arasında veri toplanmıştır. Araştırma verileri Psikolojik Esneklik Ölçeği ve Ebeveynlik Stresi Ölçeği kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Buna ek olarak, araştırmacılar tarafından oluşturulan demografik bilgi formu kullanılmıştır. Katılımcıların cinsiyet, gelir düzeyi, sahip olduğu ve velayeti altında bulunan çocuk sayısına göre psikolojik esneklik düzeyleri arasındaki farklar bağımsız örneklemler için t-testi ile yaş, eğitim düzeyleri ve resmi boşanmanın üzerinden geçen süreye psikolojik esneklik düzeyleri arasındaki farklar bağımsız örneklemler için ANOVA testi ile incelenmiştir. Katılımcıların psikolojik esneklik düzeylerinin ebeveynlik stresini ne derece yordadığını belirlemek içinse çoklu doğrusal regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Psikolojik esneklik alt boyutlarından değerler ve değerler doğrultusunda davranma, anda olma, kabul, bağlamsal benlik ve ayrışmanın katılımcıların ebeveynlik stresini anlamlı bir şekilde yordadığı ve bu alt boyutların katılımcıların ebeveynlik stresindeki değişimin %21’ini açıkladığı görülmüştür. Bulgular, erkek katılımcıların psikolojik esneklik düzeylerinin kadın katılımcılara göre, 36-45 yaş aralığında olan katılımcıların 20-35 yaş aralığında olanlara göre, resmi boşanmanın üzerinden 48-60 ay geçen katılımcıların 1 senden az olanlara göre daha yüksek olduğunu göstermiştir. Katılımcıların psikolojik esneklik düzeylerinde eğitim ve gelir düzeyine, sahip olunan ve velayeti altında bulunan çocuk sayısına göre anlamlı bir farklılık bulunmamıştır.
... In a recent meta-analysis of meta-analyses examining the efficacy of ACT, Gloster et al. (2020) reported that ACT outweighed control conditions, treatment as usual, across a broad range of mental health disorders and conditions including chronic pain (Veehof et al., 2011), anxiety and OCD spectrum disorders (Bluett et al., 2014), substance use disorders (Lee et al., 2015), mental health and well-being (Brown et al., 2016), psychosis (Tonarelli et al., 2016), disordered eating and body image concerns (Linardon et al., 2019), and burnout (Reeve et al., 2018). Although the practice of ACT has been introduced to couples therapy (Ghafoorian & Hasanabadi, 2016;Kavousian et al., 2017;Peterson et al., 2009), recent findings regarding the role of psychological inflexibility in romantic relationships (Daks & Rogge, 2020;Twiselton et al., 2020) underscore the potential of ACT as an effective intervention for addressing couples problems. These studies suggest that ACT can help couples improve their relationship dynamics by enhancing psychological flexibility, thereby fostering healthier communication and emotional regulation. ...
... The improvement in marital adjustment and marital commitment could be attributable to a reduction in psychological inflexibility. According to a recent meta-analysis by Daks and Rogge (2020), psychological inflexibility can influence interpersonal dynamics in intimate relationships in various ways. As previous studies (Greco & Eifert, 2004;Hekmati et al., 2023Hekmati et al., , 2024Ranjbar et al., 2023) have indicated, experiential avoidance is also a potential risk factor for psychological distress that may impact interpersonal relationships and tends to exert negative consequences on couple commitment, satisfaction, closeness, and intimacy. ...
... Psychological flexibility provides a coherent set of skills required for the evolution of behavioral systems (Hayes et al., 2020) and is the primary outcome used to assess mental health and effective action (Dionne et al., 2013;Kashdan & Rottenberg, 2010). Existing meta-analyses suggest that psychological flexibility is positively related to individuals' mental health and adaptive behaviors and negatively related to individuals' negative emotional affect and problematic behaviors (Daks & Rogge, 2020;Garner & Golijani-Moghaddam, 2021). A meta-analytic structural equation modeling examining the mechanisms of ACT found that psychological flexibility mediates changes in individual psychological symptoms (Ren et al., 2019). ...
... Our findings did not, however, consistently support our hypothesis 2. At the between-person level, the present research was consistent with previous cross-sectional studies, i.e., psychological flexibility was negatively associated with anxiety, depression, and stress (Daks & Rogge, 2020;Garner & Golijani-Moghaddam, 2021). However, these relationships did not exist at the within-person level. ...
Previous research found the effect of school climate on students’ psychological distress. No longitudinal studies examined the effect of school climate on college students’ psychological flexibility and the possible mediating role of psychological flexibility between school climate and psychological distress. These were the primary purpose of the present study. Medical college students were recruited starting in September 2020; assessments were conducted at five points, with intervals of two months between each assessment. Self-reported questionnaires were completed by 210 college students (33.3% male and 66.7% female), with an average age of 20.62. The Perceived School Climate scale, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) were used to assess participants’ perceived school climate, psychological flexibility, and mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety, and stress) respectively. The temporal directional relationship between study variables was analyzed using the random intercept cross-lagged panel model. There was a unidirectional positive effect from perceived school climate to psychological flexibility, and a unidirectional negative effect from perceived school climate to anxiety and depression. There was no directional effect between psychological flexibility and mental health at the within-person level, but at the between-person level, they were strongly associated. Furthermore, psychological flexibility did not mediate the relationship between perceived school climate and mental health. This study supported the bio-ecological theory and highlighted the importance of fostering a positive school climate to improve college students’ psychological flexibility and decrease their depression and anxiety.
... Scholars refer to this type of trust as "epistemic," in concordance with previous works on the topic, as it defines the individual willingness to seek, understand, and critically evaluate new knowledge as trustworthy and relevant, thus potentially integrating it in their lives (McCraw, 2015). By contrast, negating intentionality may promote learned helplessness and psychological inflexibility (Daks & Rogge, 2020;Parada-Fernández et al., 2020). ...
Mentalizing has been conceptualized as the ability to understand oneself or others, and thus as a form of imagery capable of grasping the causal factors underlying overt behaviors and covert reasoning alike. Higher mentalizing skills have been shown to protect the individual against mental distress, through the promotion of effective coping skills and emotional competency. This finding has instigated several empirical studies on the topic, with the quest of characterizing the interplay between early life experiences and later distress. But apart from childhood and adolescence, adults may also reshape their mentalizing abilities, particularly while in education or training. The fundamental role exerted by parental figures during development is mirrored in education or training by different role-models (e.g., teachers, mentors, tutors), fostering the (re)definition of personal and occupational identities. Specific professions are more interested in this phenomenon, which is nonetheless general and transversal to each occupation. For instance, the role of the mentor in medical training has been observed as crucial to promote a later positive sense of accomplishment during work or training, harboring resilience against emotional exhaustion in face of moral injuries to one’s own practice (e.g., the death of a patient, policy, and economic limitations). By contrast, mistreatment, objectification, or frank exploitation suppress the positive reinforcement of identity development, increasing the risk for later burnout. The current chapter reviews the existing evidence on the topic of mentor-mentee relationships, as nurturing mentalizing skills during adult life and exerting a pivotal influence on resilience and burnout. A novel perspective on mentalizing in relation to transformative experiences is proposed. An overarching role for mentors in promoting epistemic trust and self-worth is discussed. Finally, the implications of these findings for specific professions are considered, extending Corson’s model of vocational education (1985).
... Studies have shown that many variables are correlated with marital conflicts, which can either alleviate or exacerbate these conflicts, with psychological flexibility being one such variable (Mohammadi et al., 2021;Navabinejad et al., 2024;Tarkhan et al., 2020). Psychological flexibility and inflexibility may play key roles in shaping how individuals interact with their closest relationships, both in couples and families (Daks & Rogge, 2020). Psychological flexibility refers to the ability to recognize and adapt to situational opportunities, allowing an individual to identify and change behavioral strategies that the situation demands and take actions consistent with deep and aligned personal values (McCracken et al., 2021). ...
Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of forgiveness therapy on psychological distress and psychological flexibility in women with marital conflicts. Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental, with a pre-test-post-test design and a control group. The statistical population included all women with marital conflicts who referred to health centers in District 3 of Tehran in 2022. The sample consisted of 30 women who scored lower in psychological flexibility and distress tolerance. They were selected through non-random voluntary sampling and were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Data were collected using the Distress Tolerance Scale by Simons and Gaher (2005) and the Psychological Flexibility Questionnaire by Dennis and Vander Wal (2010) in both pre-test and post-test stages. The session content was prepared according to the forgiveness therapy model by Enright and Fitzgibbons (2015). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and covariance analysis. Findings: The results of the covariance analysis indicated that the mean scores of psychological distress and psychological flexibility and their components in the experimental group significantly decreased compared to the control group (P = 0.05). Conclusion: Therefore, forgiveness therapy was effective in reducing psychological distress and enhancing psychological flexibility in women with marital conflicts.
... The most frequently studied dyads are those of a couple in family and romantic relationships (e.g. Daks and Rogge, 2020), and the relationships between a coach and an athlete in sports (e.g. Kim and Bautista Cruz, 2021). ...
Purpose
This study uses social exchange theory to describe, explain and propose the influence of dyad partners' leadership position structure, which includes the roles they play and their existing and prospective common experience, on their commitment to their dyad and their cooperation.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses the case of equally empowered co-CEOs in a family business, who play the roles of family member, owner and executive; co-CEOs in a startup firm, who play the roles of owner and executive; and co-CEOs in a merger and acquisition (M&A), who play the role of executive. Co-CEOs in family businesses benefit from longer existing and longer prospective dyad longevity than co-CEOs in startups, who, in turn, benefit from longer existing and longer prospective dyad longevity than co-CEOs in M&As.
Findings
The study proposes that the roles the partners play in the dyads, and the existing and prospective longevity of their relationship, positively influence the partners' commitment to the dyad and their level of cooperation.
Originality/value
The study offers a model that has the potential to direct scholars at the formulation of the theory of top management symmetric formal power dyads dynamics and assist family business owners, startup partners, board of directors and co-CEOs in formulating and implementing upper echelons leadership plans to enhance cooperation and coordination between equal partners.
... Psychological inflexibility also negatively impacts romantic relationship well-being. In a recent meta-analysis, psychological inflexibility was correlated with lower relationship satisfaction, lower sexual satisfaction, higher conflict, and more physical aggression [66]. Thus, someone that is more psychologically flexible may be able to overcome the negative consequences associated with loneliness in romantic relationships. ...
Loneliness arises when there is a discrepancy between one’s desired and actual social connection with others. Studies examining the effects of loneliness in romantic relationships show that people who are lonely are less satisfied and committed to their romantic relationships. The present study explored the association between loneliness and romantic relationship well-being. Using a cross-sectional design, loneliness was correlated with relationship commitment, trust, and conflict. Relationship awareness, but not relationship distraction, statistically mediated the association between loneliness, relationship conflict, and relationship trust. The indirect effect of loneliness on relationship well-being was only present in people reporting low and medium levels of psychological inflexibility. Implications are discussed for acceptance- and mindfulness-based interventions for persons in romantic relationships.
... Consistent with the PF framework underpinning ACT, one systematic review found evidence to support PF as the therapeutic mechanism responsible for intervention effects on QoL and other outcomes (Stockton et al., 2019). While no specific published studies to date have explored the impact of PI on parents with cancer, in the broader literature parental PI is associated with heightened parental stress, reduced emotional availability, less compassionate family interactions, and lower well-being for both parents and their young offspring (Caldas et al., 2023;Daks & Rogge, 2020). Furthermore, families with parents who report high PI often evidence family conflict, communication problems, and reduced cohesion (Daks & Rogge, 2020). ...
... While no specific published studies to date have explored the impact of PI on parents with cancer, in the broader literature parental PI is associated with heightened parental stress, reduced emotional availability, less compassionate family interactions, and lower well-being for both parents and their young offspring (Caldas et al., 2023;Daks & Rogge, 2020). Furthermore, families with parents who report high PI often evidence family conflict, communication problems, and reduced cohesion (Daks & Rogge, 2020). Consequently, when a parent with cancer, particularly one with young offspring, shows high levels of PI, family functioning and QoL can be significantly compromised. ...
... The results from this study align with prior research that has identified PI as a psychosocial risk factor among individuals with cancer by way of its association with lower physical and mental QoL (Gillanders et al., 2015; leads to more adaptive parenting practices, which in the cancer context may enable parents to better address the unique challenges faced by their young offspring related to living with a parent affected by cancer (Daks & Rogge, 2020). Hence, future research should implement and evaluate the integration of ACT informed services and interventions into healthcare settings that support parents with cancer. ...
The challenges of parental cancer while caring for young offspring are often neglected by researchers and healthcare providers. Focusing on parents with cancer, this cross-sectional study examines the mediating and moderating roles of a malleable risk factor, psychological inflexibility, in the relationships between perceived illness severity and parental quality of life (QoL) and family outcomes. Psychological inflexibility was conceptualized using the acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) framework. A total of 86 parents with cancer caring for young offspring (aged 11–24 years; M = 17.94, SD = 3.68) completed a survey that assessed psychological inflexibility, parental mental and physical health QoL, family outcomes (family functioning, parenting concerns, and openness to discuss cancer), socio-demographics, and illness variables. Mediation analyses indicated that higher perceived illness severity was associated with higher levels of psychological inflexibility, which in turn were related to higher detrimental impacts on parental QoL and family outcomes. Results of moderation analyses were non-significant. Findings highlight the detrimental impacts of illness severity on psychological inflexibility, suggesting that it is a psychosocial risk factor in parents dealing with cancer. ACT-based interventions which foster psychological flexibility are likely to enhance parental QoL and family outcomes.
