A Meta-analytic Review of Acceptance-Based Behavioral Interventions for the Treatment of Anxiety

The relative popularity of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has grown in recent years, and inspired the development of contemporary acceptance-based treatment approaches. Acceptance-based therapies differ from traditional cognitive- behavior therapy (CBT) on pragmatic grounds, the import of which implicates the purpose of therapy. CBT utilizes exposure and cognitive change techniques primarily in service of symptom change outcomes; whereas, ACT utilizes exposure and acceptance for purposes of promoting psychological flexibility in the pursuit of personal values. The purpose of this meta-analytic study was to determine the relative efficacy of acceptance- based versus symptom-change behavioral approaches with anxiety disorders and to quantify this impact. A comprehensive literature search turned up 18 studies that met inclusion criteria for this analysis. An effect size was calculated using the standardized mean gain procedure for both the acceptance-based and symptom-change approaches, along with the waitlist control groups. The results demonstrate a large effect size for the acceptance-based approach (Weighted mean ES = .83) and a medium effect size for symptom-change approach (Weighted mean ES = .60). The waitlist control groups demonstrated a small effect size (Weighted mean ES = .24). Based on this review, it is suggested that graduate and internship programs in Clinical Psychology should promote evidence-based training in the use of acceptance-inspired behavioral therapies.

Applying Translation Quality Standards to a Certification Procedure for U.S. Language Service Providers

Many translation quality standards have been implemented to regulate the provision and procurement of language services. However, in the absence of a standardized procedure to certify U.S. language service providers (LSPs), the industry lacks consensus with regard to requirements, procedures, and expectations. This project establishes the need for such a procedure and proposes an LSP Certification Procedure based on existing quality standards. Through a review and analysis of existing translation quality standards, an interview with a key stakeholder, and the presentation of an LSP Certification Procedure, this project concludes that the U.S. language services industry requires a procedure to certify LSPs and that such a procedure may be designed and implemented based on existing standards.