EB Rolffs et al

Psychological flexibility

The ability to remain open to internal experiences while continuing to act in accordance with personal values

Hexaflex model

A theoretical model proposing six psychological flexibility processes and six corresponding inflexibility processes

Acceptance

Willingness to experience unwanted thoughts and emotions without trying to avoid or control them

Experiential avoidance

Attempts to escape or suppress unwanted internal experiences

Contact with the present moment

Ongoing awareness of thoughts feelings and experiences as they occur

Lack of contact with the present moment

Operating on autopilot without awareness of current experiences

Self as context

Seeing oneself as the observer of experiences rather than being defined by them

Self as content

Identifying with thoughts and emotions and treating them as literal truths

Defusion

The ability to step back from thoughts and feelings and observe them without being controlled by them

Fusion

Becoming entangled in thoughts and emotions so they dominate behavior

Values

Clarified life directions that give meaning and purpose to behavior

Lack of contact with values

Disconnection from what is personally meaningful

Committed action

Persistent behavior guided by values even in the presence of discomfort

Inaction

Failure to take value-guided action due to distress or avoidance

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy ACT

A therapeutic approach aimed at increasing psychological flexibility

Main limitation of AAQ and AAQ-II

They measure psychological inflexibility as a single global dimension

Core contribution of Rolffs et al 2018

Development of a multidimensional measure that assesses all 12 Hexaflex processes

Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory MPFI

A 60-item scale measuring 12 distinct Hexaflex dimensions

Correlation between flexibility and inflexibility

Strongly negative but not redundant

Why flexibility and inflexibility are not one continuum

They form distinct but related systems

Why multidimensional measurement matters

It allows identification of specific mechanisms of change

One-sentence thesis of the article

Psychological flexibility consists of multiple distinct processes that can be reliably measured using the MPFI

Why flexibility and inflexibility are not one continuum

They form distinct but related systems