Cognitive and psychological flexibility after a traumatic brain injury and the implications for treatment in acceptance-based therapies: a conceptual review

Whiting, D. L., Deane, F. P., Simpson, G. K., McLeod, H. J. and Ciarrochi, J. (2017) Cognitive and psychological flexibility after a traumatic brain injury and the implications for treatment in acceptance-based therapies: a conceptual review. Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 27(2), pp. 263-299. (doi: 10.1080/09602011.2015.1062115) (PMID:26156228)

Abstract

This paper provides a selective review of cognitive and psychological flexibility in the context of treatment for psychological distress after traumatic brain injury, with a focus on acceptance-based therapies. Cognitive flexibility is a component of executive function that is referred to mostly in the context of neuropsychological research and practice. Psychological flexibility, from a clinical psychology perspective, is linked to health and well-being and is an identified treatment outcome for therapies such as acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). There are a number of overlaps between the constructs. They both manifest in the ability to change behaviour (either a thought or an action) in response to environmental change, with similarities in neural substrate and mental processes. Impairments in both show a strong association with psychopathology. People with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) often suffer impairments in their cognitive flexibility as a result of damage to areas controlling executive processes but have a positive response to therapies that promote psychological flexibility. Overall, psychological flexibility appears a more overarching construct and cognitive flexibility may be a subcomponent of it but not necessarily a pre-requisite. Further research into therapies which claim to improve psychological flexibility, such as ACT, needs to be undertaken in TBI populations in order to clarify its utility in this group.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: McLeod, Professor Hamish
• Authors: Whiting, D. L., Deane, F. P., Simpson, G. K., McLeod, H. J., and Ciarrochi, J.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Mental Health and Wellbeing
• Journal Name: Neuropsychological Rehabilitation
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 0960-2011
• ISSN (Online): 1464-0694
• Published Online: 09 July 2015