According to the most popular conceptualization of materialism by Richins and Dawson it consists of three components: acquisition centrality, acquisition as the pursuit of happiness and possession -defined success. They are usually combined and an overall indicator of materialism is used commonly in various studies. In the article the three components are examined separately. Differences in their nature are revealed in a theoretical analysis, whereas in two empirical studies the ways they connect with well -being are presented. The results show that the overall materialism explains much less variance of well -being than the three components taken separately. Of the three the possession-defined happiness is the most detrimental to all aspects of well -being. The possession -defined success does not connect with well -being at all. Finally, acquisition centrality elevates hedonic and psychological well -being. The conclusion is that the modest effect of materialism on well -being, usually identified in various studies, is probably at least partly due to conflicting forces existing within the construct.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) through reducing psychopathology, improving quality of life, and developing psychological skills (psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and ego-resiliency). The study was quasi-experimental in the form of a four-week ACT intervention; three measurements were obtained (baseline, one week after training, one month after training). It involved 60 participants divided into three groups: two criteria groups (ACT in the off-line form, N=20, ACT in the on-line form, N=20), and one control group (N=20). The results showed a significant improvement in the area of quality of life and the level of psychological skills among parents participating in the ACT training, and this improvement was maintained both a week and a month after the end of the training. The form of participation in the training did not differentiate the groups, which may indicate their equivalence. In addition, significant intergroup differences were shown between participants from the criterion groups and those from the control group, as the subjects who did not participate in the training were characterized by lower quality of life and lower level of psychological skills, and higher intensity of psychopathological symptoms. The results can be used both in designing further scientific research and in clinical practice, especially in the psychological care of families of persons diagnosed with ASD, with special focus on the area of developing psychological skills and the use of short-term therapeutic methods.