Cognitive-Behavior Therapy

Now four decades old, cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) is one of the most heavily researched--and effective--forms of psychotherapy, useful in treating both psychiatric and medical disorders.

In this compact, richly detailed volume, 13 distinguished contributors show how CBT's primary focus of identifying and changing maladaptive patterns of information processing and related behaviors is fully compatible with biological theories and treatments and can be combined with pharmacotherapy to optimize treatment results in clinical practice. In five chapters that illustrate the broadening reach and scope of CBT, these experts discuss

- Schizophrenia--Shows clinicians how to incorporate the strengths of CBT into their daily practices for treating patients with schizophrenia. CBT methods (e.g., thought recording, examining the evidence, activity scheduling, graded task assignments, psychoeducation) can help relieve both positive and negative symptoms, reduce the stigma associated with the illness, improve depression and anxiety, and increase social skills.
- Bipolar I disorder--Focuses on a concerted effort to educate the patient about bipolar disorder, which helps patients and families develop an "early warning" system and be prepared with interventions to forestall relapse. CBT methods also teach patients how to reduce common psychosocial stressors and adhere to their prescribed medications.
- Computer-assisted CBT--Discusses an exciting new frontier that has already found excellent levels of patient acceptance and can reduce the amount of clinician time required for successful treatment. Using virtual reality and other technologies, computer-assisted CBT enhances therapy by providing interactive methods of learning and rehearsing CBT skills and by illustrating problem-solving methods with multimedia scenarios.
- CBT for treating physical illnesses--Details the positive benefits for CBT in many different types of medical disorders, such as coronary artery disease, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. CBT can help change negative automatic thoughts ("What's the use?"), reduce anxiety and depression, and ultimately help the patient develop adaptive beliefs, identify and mobilize inherent strengths, and maximize healthy behavioral strategies.
- CBT for children and adolescents--Reviews the robust effects for CBT in children and adolescents with anxiety disorders and depression and demonstrates how these methods can be used in clinical practice. Findings from numerous studies demonstrate that CBT is effective in individual, group, and family formats and can also be used to reduce vulnerability to depression in adolescents who are at risk.

This exceptional volume enriches our understanding of the strengths of CBT and provides new opportunities for helping patients. As such, it will be welcomed by clinicians and students alike.

Jesse H. Wright, M.D., Ph.D., is Professor and Associate Chairman in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, Norton Psychiatric Center, in Louisville, Kentucky.