What is cognitive behavior therapy?

Abstract

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) represents a form of psychotherapy used by school psychologists to resolve disturbed emotions and dysfunctional behavior in students by acknowledging the role of human learning and the effects of the environment, cognitions, and language in disturbance. At present, CBT serves as the overriding, generic term used to describe a wide range of approaches to psychotherapy that represent three distinct yet overlapping approaches to therapy: (a) behavior therapy, (b) cognitive therapies, and (c) mindfulness and acceptance therapies. These approaches are similar, but they conceptualize the mediation of dysfunctional behavior differently.CBT originated within behavior therapy (BT) and remains committed to many of its values and traditions. The main professional and scientific organization that represents the field was originally known as the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, and in 2004 added the term cognitive to become the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.