Final answer:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy that effectively treats depression and anxiety, and it encourages acceptance of thoughts and feelings. Option d is the answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a variation of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and has been found to effectively treat depression and anxiety. Studies suggest that ACT works by helping individuals accept their thoughts and feelings rather than fighting or feeling guilty for them. This therapeutic approach is often contrasted with methods such as psychoanalysis, aversive conditioning, or virtual reality exposure therapy, each with different mechanisms of action and use cases. For instance, virtual reality exposure therapy is particularly noted for its applications in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders.
The efficacy of ACT can be compared to other treatments for depression and anxiety, such as psychotherapy, elective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), and electroconvulsive therapy. Cognitive-behavioral approaches, including ACT, have shown convergence with neurobiological findings in treating emotional disorders, highlighting the importance of cognitive processes in mental health interventions.