Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a mixture of the cognitive and behavioral models for explaining psychological issues. This school of thought's basic theory is that cognition, or the thought process, is credited for a person's mental problems; that is, if you can change the way the person thinks, you can change the maladaptive behavior.
Cognitive Restructuring Methods
Cognitive restructuring is based on the idea that a person who constantly makes self-deprecatory statements should be taught to think differently so he does not have negative emotions such as fear, anger or depression. Rational emotive behavioral therapy, or REBT, is one example of therapy that involves cognitive restructuring. REBT's primary assumption is that people who view everyday situations as catastrophic occurrences can learn to look at things more positively and bypass negative thought patterns.
Self-Instructional Methods
In self-instructional coping methods, the therapist attempts not to completely change the way you think, but rather teaches coping methods that equip you to handle harmful thought processes. One such therapeutic process is stress inoculation training. This therapy -- which helps the patient deal with stressful events' aftermath -- aims to prevent negative reactions to stress-inducing factors by teaching the patient to break down these situations into short-term and long-term coping goals.
Problem-Solving Methods
Cognitive-behavioral therapy -- which sees irrational thought processes as resolvable -- incorporates problem-solving methods. After illogical thought patterns are found, the patient must suggest several alternative solutions. Through the decision-making process, negative solutions are weeded out until an acceptable, positive approach is discovered. This type of therapy sometimes is used in child psychotherapy when dealing with oppositional defiant disorder.
Computer-Assisted Therapy
One method of conducting cognitive-behavioral therapy is through computer-based programs. This therapy tends to decrease time spent with an actual therapist. Since computer-assisted CBT is relatively new, as of publication, most of the information is in the testing phase. However, primary-care treatment programs that have begun integrating the method for treating co-morbid anxiety and mood disorders have found promise in this type of therapy, states researchers in "Depression and Anxiety," the official journal of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America.
References
- "Behavior Modification"; Garry Martin, et al.; 2002
- "The Clinical Psychologist"; Stress Inoculation Training for Coping with Stressors; David Meichenbaum; 1996
- American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: Your Child -- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- "Depression and Anxiety"; Computer-Assisted Delivery of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy...; Michelle G. Craske, et al.; 2009
