Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Contents

Introduction1

Discussion1

History and Development2

Underlying Concept3

Components of CBT4

Benefits of CBT6

Significance and Evidences in Psychology8

Case Study11

Conclusion14

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Introduction

Mental illness is a psychological condition caused primarily by disorders in personality, thoughts or emotions. It often results in impairment of psychological and social functioning of the individual. Such disorders can be rectified with various therapies involving affective, behavioural, cognitive or perceptual components (Corey, 2009). This paper aims to explore cognitive behavioural theory in terms of its history, significance, process of treatment and benefits. The report also helps in understanding the background, development, evidence studies and a related case study that can make CBT more understandable.

Discussion

History and Development

CBT history of origin and development is told in two ways. One is the medical story of psychotic treatment and other is in the context of applied psychology (Pilgrim, 2011). The origins of behavioural psychiatry can be traced back in medical hypnotism by Pavlov Gantt and Janet. Pavlov experimented on dogs by presenting them with ambiguous stimuli. Based on the results, Pavlov concluded that it they can be conditioned in clinical settings, then they can be reconditioned in same settings. The behavioural therapy referred as initial wave was formed by Pavlov with behavioural modification presented by Skinnerian in 1950s. A notable clinical psychologist, Albert Ellis, proposed a novel version of behavioural therapy knows as rational therapy in 1955 (Pilgrim, 2011). The therapists found that methods of relaxation, desensitization can only be effective for minority of psychotic problems. They began to apply behavioural therapy to inner events of thoughts and feelings (Corey, 2009).

The work of Aaron Bech for CBT in 1976 brought the second wave called as cognitive revolution by analyzing the impact of thinking (cognition) on behaviours and emotions. The use of social influence, interpersonal negotiation in treating mental illness started in order to control undesirable or maladaptive thinking and actions of an individual (Pilgrim, 2011).

CBT offers evidence based treatment and it highly effective. Moreover, its commitment to the rationality over non rational thinking results in greater happiness for many patients. The theory is known for its simplicity and transparency. Due to these aspects, policy makers readily adopted CB therapies in treatment plans (Pilgrim, 2011). The discourse of CBT became widely selected for psychologists and psychiatrists treating a variety of mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorder, and personality disorder and so on. Cognitive therapy can be diversified and tailored according to patients' need. Forms of CBT include multimodal therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), cognitive behavioural analysis system of psychotherapy (CBASP), functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP) and integrative behavioural couple therapy (IBCT) (Pilgrim, 2011).

Underlying Concept

Human is highly influenced by the way his thinking and actions are developed with the passage of time. The cognitive behaviour theory is based on the principles of nature that thoughts or feelings experienced by an individual are responsible for reinforcing the faulty beliefs and perceptions. These believe and perceptions can lead to a problematic behaviour (Corey, 2009). When individual suffers from such behaviour, many areas of his life ...