{"id":73,"date":"2023-08-31T18:14:58","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T18:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/flynn\/?page_id=73"},"modified":"2025-12-03T18:33:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T18:33:36","slug":"my-research","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/flynn\/my-research\/","title":{"rendered":"Research"},"content":{"rendered":"

My Research Area<\/span><\/h1>\n

I care about examining factors that are related to overall well-being and living a rich and meaningful life. Much of my research is focused on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The aim of ACT is to increase psychological flexibility\u2014the ability to engage in values-based action despite the presence of difficult internal events (e.g., thoughts, feelings, memories). <\/span><\/p>\n

ACT targets six processes to increase psychological flexibility: acceptance (i.e., willing to have difficult internal events be present), defusion (i.e., holding on to one’s thoughts lightly), self-as-context (i.e., not identifying with experiences, but rather, as a context in which experiences happen), present moment awareness (i.e., being in the here-and-now), values (i.e., what one cares about), and committed action (i.e., persistently engaging in values-based action). <\/span><\/p>\n

Publications<\/span><\/h1>\n

*denotes student author<\/span><\/p>\n

Flynn, M. K., Alde*, E., Valadez Fraire*, J., & Malnar*, C. (2025). The impact of a brief values intervention on approach behaviors:\u00a0 A test of generalizability using a spider-related behavioral approach task. The Psychological Record.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Berkout, O. V., & Flynn, M. K. (2025). Social media utilization, fear of missing out, upward social comparison, and self-compassion as predictors of psychological distress and life satisfaction among individuals with mental health concerns. Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science, 7, <\/em>7-14.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Flynn, M. K. & Bordieri, M. J. (2025). Using debriefing as a tool to enhance the educational value of undergraduate research participation. Teaching of Psychology, 52<\/em>(2), 193-203.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Flynn, M. K., Hernandez, J. O., Valadez Fraire*, J., Hobbs*, S. C., & Malnar,* C. S. (2024). Weight stigma and healthcare avoidance among women with obesity:\u00a0 The moderating roles of body image-related psychological inflexibility and cognitive fusion. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, <\/em>33<\/em>, 100814.<\/span><\/p>\n

Flynn, M. K., Berkout, O. V., & Alde*, E. (2024). Suicidality, gender identity-related stressors, and psychological flexibility among transgender and non-binary adults. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 32, <\/em>100732.<\/span><\/p>\n

Flynn, M. K., & Rocheleau, C. (2024). Undergraduate research pools in psychology departments: Prevalence and practices. Teaching of Psychology, 51<\/em>(1), 39-45.<\/span><\/p>\n

Flynn, M. K. & Hebert, E. R. (2022). Values matter in approach behaviors:\u00a0 A replication using contamination anxiety behavioral approach tasks. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 23<\/em>, 48-52.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Flynn, M. K., & Bhambhani, Y. (2021). Internalized transphobia, nondisclosure of gender identity, and life satisfaction among transgender and non-binary adults:\u00a0 The moderating roles of psychological flexibility and inflexibility. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 20,<\/em> 194-201.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Hebert, E. R., Flynn, M. K., Kellum, K. K., & Wilson, K. G. (2021). Values intervention as an establishing operation for approach in the presence of aversive stimuli. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 20, <\/em>144-154.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Flynn, M. K., & Bordieri, M. J. (2020). On the failure to replicate past findings regarding positive affirmations and self-esteem. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 16, <\/em>49-61.<\/span><\/p>\n

Flynn, M. K. & Hebert, E. R. (2020). The role of psychological flexibility as a mediator between experienced sexual racism and psychological distress among men who have sex with men. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49<\/em>(2), 711-720.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bhambhani, Y.,\u00a0Flynn, M. K., Kellum, K. K. & Wilson, K. G. (2019). Examining sexual racism and body dissatisfaction among men of color who have sex with men:\u00a0 The moderating role of body image inflexibility. Body Image, 28, <\/em>142-148.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Flynn, M. K., Bordieri, M. J., & Berkout, O. V. (2019). Symptoms of social anxiety and depression:\u00a0 Acceptance of socially anxious thoughts and feelings as a moderator. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 11, <\/em>44-49.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Berkout, O. V., Tinsley, D, & Flynn, M. K. (2019). A review of anger and aggression from an ACT perspective. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 11, <\/em>33-43.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Flynn, M. K., Kurz, A. S., & Burkout, O. V. (2019). Psychological inflexibility among college students:\u00a0 Introducing the 6-item Acceptance and Action Questionnaire for Weight-related Difficulties. Journal of Latinx Psychology, 7<\/em>(2), <\/em>123-137.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Flynn, M. K., Hernandez, J. O., Hebert, E. R., James*, K. K., & Kusick*, M. K. (2017). Cognitive fusion among Hispanic college students:\u00a0 Further validation of the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 7, <\/em>29-34.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Flynn, M.K., Berkout, O. V., & Bordieri, M. J. (2016). Cultural considerations in the measurement of psychological flexibility:\u00a0 Initial validation of the acceptance and action questionnaire-II among Hispanic individuals. Behavior Analysis:\u00a0 Research and Practice, 16<\/em>(2), 81-93.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kurz, A. S., Flynn, M. K., & Bordieri, M. J. (2016). How Bayesian estimation might improve CBS Measure Development:\u00a0 A case study with body-image flexibility in Hispanic students. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 5<\/em>(3), 146-153.<\/span><\/p>\n

Flynn, M. K., Schnetzer, L., & Wilson, K. G. (2015). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Addiction. In C. Gr\u00f8nlund & S. Rasmussen (Eds.) Anthology of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.<\/em> Copenhagen, Denmark: Frydenlund.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wilson, K. G., Schnetzer, L., Flynn, M. K., & Kurz, A. (2012). Treating substance abuse with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. In S.C. Hayes & M. Levin (Eds.) Mindfulness and Acceptance for Addictive Behaviors: Applying Contextual CBT to Substance Abuse and Behavioral Addictions.<\/em> Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wilson, K. G., Flynn, M. K., Bordieri, M., Nassar, S., Lucas, N., & Whiteman, K. (2012). Acceptance in Cognitive Behavior Therapy. In W. O\u2019Donohue & J. Fisher (Eds.) Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Core principles for practice<\/em>. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wilson, K. G., Bordieri, M., Flynn, M. K., Lucas, N., & Slater, R. (2010). Understanding Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in context: A History of similarities and differences. In J. Herbert & E. Forman (Eds.) Acceptance and mindfulness in Cognitive Behavior Therapy<\/em>. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wilson, K. G., Sandoz, E. K., Flynn, M. K., Slater, R. M., & DuFrene, T. (2010). Understanding, assessing, and treating values processes in mindfulness and acceptance-based therapies. In Baer, R. (Ed.). Assessing mindfulness and acceptance: Illuminating the processes of change<\/em>. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

My Research Area I care about examining factors that are related to overall well-being and living a rich and meaningful life. Much of my research is focused on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The aim of ACT is to increase psychological flexibility\u2014the ability to engage in values-based action despite the presence of difficult internal events … Continue reading Research<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":910,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-73","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/flynn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/73","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/flynn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/flynn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/flynn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/910"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/flynn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/flynn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/73\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.msudenver.edu\/flynn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}