Therapeutic techniques in Abhidhamma : a comparative analysis with Western approaches, focusing on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) : a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Psychology, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand

Abstract

This study examines therapeutic techniques within the Abhidhamma tradition and compares them with contemporary Western psychological approaches, with a particular focus on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). While both systems aim to alleviate human suffering, they arise from distinct philosophical, ethical, and methodological frameworks. The Abhidhamma offers a detailed analysis of mental processes through a taxonomy of consciousness and associated mental factors, situating psychological transformation within an ethical and soteriological context. In contrast, ACT, grounded in functional contextualism and Relational Frame Theory, emphasises psychological flexibility through processes such as acceptance, cognitive defusion, and values-guided action. Using comparative conceptual analysis, this theoretical study explores areas of convergence and divergence between these traditions across key domains, including the nature of suffering, the structure of cognition, attentional training, and the role of self and agency. Particular attention is given to how each system conceptualises the modification of maladaptive patterns and the cultivation of adaptive mental states. The analysis avoids reducing one system to the terms of the other, instead examining how each operates within its own internal logic while identifying areas of functional similarity. The study employs thematic synthesis as an interpretive strategy to organise and compare key concepts across the two traditions. The findings suggest that, despite differing metaphysical commitments, both traditions share an interest in transforming habitual cognitive and affective processes through systematic practice. At the same time, important differences remain, particularly regarding ethical foundations, ultimate aims, and the role of insight. The study contributes to the growing field of cross-cultural psychology by clarifying the conceptual relationships between Abhidhamma and ACT and by highlighting the potential for dialogue without collapsing their distinctiveness.