The Core Processes of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Korean Americans

The six core processes of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

These processes offer a structured way to develop psychological flexibility, which may be particularly relevant for Korean Americans

Nari Yoo | PhD at NYU Silver School of Social Work

Building on the previous post on introducing ACT, this post outlines the six core processes of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). These processes offer a structured way to develop psychological flexibility, which may be particularly relevant for Korean Americans.

1. Acceptance

Instead of fighting against feelings of inadequacy or anxiety about meeting perfect standards, acceptance involves acknowledging these feelings without struggling against them. For Korean Americans, this means learning to face feelings of pressure and potential shame without being consumed by them. This approach runs counter to traditional coping strategies of suppression and avoidance that may be culturally reinforced. Research shows that acceptance is particularly relevant for individuals from collectivistic cultures like Korea, where emotional restraint is often valued. A study examining acceptance-based coping found it could be effective for Asian Americans, though cultural adaptations were necessary to align with cultural values around emotional expression (Hall et al., 2011).

2. Cognitive Defusion

This process helps us separate from our thoughts rather than being defined by them. For example, instead of believing "I am a failure because I didn't get an A," defusion helps us recognize "I'm having the thought that I am a failure." This distinction is crucial for Korean Americans who often identify strongly with academic or professional achievement. In ACT, the ability to observe private events (thoughts, emotions, pain) without allowing them to be self-defining is described as part of the "transcendent self" (Hayes, 2002). This perspective can be particularly powerful for Korean Americans struggling with perfectionistic thoughts tied to racial stereotypes.

3. Being Present

Mindfulness and present-moment awareness allow us to experience what's happening right now rather than getting lost in worries about the future or ruminations about the past. A study with Korean college students (2021) found that mindfulness significantly moderated the relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and depression, with particularly remarkable effects for female students. This finding is significant because socially prescribed perfectionism—the perception that others expect perfection from us—has been identified as particularly prevalent among Korean young adults and can significantly impact mental health outcomes.

4. Self as Context

ACT helps develop a sense of self that isn't defined by achievements or others' expectations. This perspective helps separate identity from achievement, offering a more stable sense of self-worth. For Korean Americans navigating the model minority stereotype, this distinction can be transformative. Research on the cultural adaptation of ACT notes that Western mindfulness practices tend to emphasize the self-as-observer perspective, while traditional Asian philosophies often view the self in a more dynamic process of change and adaptation (Hall et al., 2011). This cultural nuance is important to consider when helping Korean Americans develop a sense of self not contingent on perfectionist standards.

5. Values Clarification

Instead of pursuing perfection because it's expected, ACT encourages identifying what truly matters personally. This process helps Korean Americans distinguish between socially prescribed values and personal values, which is crucial when social and cultural pressures are strong. Fung and Zhu (2018) emphasize that in Asian contexts, both cultural and individual values need to be identified and worked through, as in collectivistic cultures like Korean culture, what others think often plays an integral role in guiding behaviors. The goal isn't to reject cultural values but to choose one's relationship to them consciously.

6. Committed Action

The final component involves taking concrete steps toward living according to one's values, even when it's difficult. For Korean Americans caught between cultural expectations and personal desires, this means making choices based on what truly matters rather than what others expect. A study investigating a brief 90-minute Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention for first-year college students reported that those who participated in an acceptance-based behavioral workshop showed a significant reduction in depression compared to those who did not participate. These findings suggest that even short-term ACT-based interventions can produce meaningful outcomes.

Why ACT May Be Culturally Appropriate for Korean Americans

ACT is particularly well-suited for addressing perfectionism and the Model Minority Myth in Korean Americans for several reasons:

First, ACT has roots in Eastern philosophies that align with many Asian cultural values. Hall et al. (2011) note that "Because of their theoretical grounding in East Asian philosophies, mindfulness and acceptance-based psychotherapies appear to constitute promising ways to provide culturally responsive mental health care to Asian Americans." The emphasis on acceptance rather than control resonates with many traditional Asian philosophical traditions.

Second, research suggests that perfectionism represents a form of psychological inflexibility. Ong and colleagues (2019) found that clinical perfectionism is characterized by "rigid responses to perfectionistic thoughts, avoidance of uncomfortable emotions, and value-disconnected inaction." ACT directly addresses these patterns by building psychological flexibility, offering a way to hold perfectionism without being ruled by it.

Third, ACT has been adapted and applied successfully across diverse cultural contexts. Hayes (2024) notes, "The careful and at times slow effort to build out the psychological flexibility model has paid off because it has made it easy to culturally adapt ACT." He explains that ACT principles, such as being more open, aware, and focused on values, resonate with all major religions and philosophical traditions, making it adaptable to the Korean American experience.

Fourth, ACT as a therapeutic approach recognizes the importance of cultural context. A major benefit of ACT is that it has been implemented in over 1,000 randomized controlled trials worldwide, with 45% of those studies coming from non-Western contexts (Hayes, 2024). This global research base increases the likelihood that ACT can be effectively adapted for Korean Americans.

Practical Steps for Korean Americans

If you're a Korean or Korean American struggling with perfectionism and the pressures of the Model Minority Myth, here are some ACT-inspired practices to consider:

  • Notice without judgment:

    • When perfectionist thoughts arise ("I should be better than this"), simply notice them without getting caught up in them. Practice observing these thoughts as they come and go, recognizing that cultural and familial expectations shape them but do not define you.

  • Create distance from thoughts: 

    • Practice saying "I'm having the thought that..." before your perfectionist thoughts to create separation between you and the thought. Research shows this cognitive defusion technique is effective for reducing the impact of perfectionistic thoughts (Ong et al., 2019).

  • Connect with your values: 

    • Ask yourself what truly matters beyond achievement and others' approval. Take time to reflect on whether your actions are guided by your values or by expectations you've internalized from family, community, or the broader society.

  • Take values-based actions: 

    • Make choices each day based on your personal values rather than perfectionist standards. A study of a brief ACT intervention (even in a single session) found that committed action was instrumental in decreasing work-related stress.

  • Practice self-compassion: 

    • When you make mistakes, respond with kindness rather than criticism. Ong and colleagues (2019) found that self-compassion mediated the relationship between ACT treatment and decreased concern over errors, demonstrating the importance of self-compassion in addressing perfectionism.

  • Engage with the community: 

The journey from perfectionism to psychological flexibility isn't about abandoning excellence or cultural values. Rather, it's about finding a more sustainable and fulfilling approach to living well. For Korean and Korean American individuals, ACT offers tools to honor cultural heritage while breaking free from the constraints of perfectionism and the Model Minority Myth.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nari Yoo is an incoming Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work. Her research bridges community-based approaches and technological innovations to improve mental health and social service delivery for racial/ethnic minorities and immigrant populations in both the U.S. and Asia. She is particularly interested in language access, culturally grounded care models, and the ethical use of AI in social work practice. Her long-term goal is to develop technology-assisted and community-rooted interventions that are linguistically and culturally responsive. Beyond her academic work, she enjoys exploring cross-cultural perspectives through travel, literature, and documentaries.

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