Sections
Theory of Cognitive Therapy: Introduction | Origins of Cognitive Therapy | Basic Assumptions of Cognitive Theory | Key Concepts of Cognitive Theory | The Cognitive Theory of Specific Clinical Disorders | Conclusion | Key Points | References | Suggested Readings
Excerpt
Since its earliest days, cognitive therapy has
been defined in terms of its theory of or perspective on psychopathology
(A. T. Beck 1967). What makes a therapist's
approach cognitive (or cognitive-behavioral) is not reliance on
a defined set of intervention strategies but rather the theory of
psychopathology and human change that guides the therapeutic enterprise.
In this chapter, we provide an introductory overview of the tenets
of cognitive theory for a variety of common psychiatric disorders.
Our objective is to give readers a basic foundation in cognitive
theory that will enable a better understanding of cognitive therapy.