Cognitive Therapies And Their Classifications

Classifying cognitive therapies is a pragmatic exercise. This is because one gets a detailed map of options in this field, which can help you a lot. For example, you can choose which specialist you want to work with.

The classification of cognitive therapies shows that their common feature is that they consider cognition as a determining element of behavior. But they differ in the importance they attach to the different processes involved. These cognitive processes can be activated through the same mechanisms that promote human learning.

Cognitive therapies always design treatments based on cognitive formation of the problem. In addition, they believe that learning is much more complex than the formation of stimulus-response associations. Thus, the therapeutic intervention insists on addressing cognitive processes as the largest determining factor in behavior.

Therapies are diverse and lack a universal theoretical framework to bring them together as a general theoretical model. But they are often grouped within the same group as “cognitive behavioral therapies”.

Classification of theories of cognitive therapies

There are three main classes of cognitive therapies (Mahoney and Arnkoff, 1978):

First, we have cognitive restructuring methods, which assume that emotional methods are a consequence of maladaptive thoughts and therefore their intervention attempts to establish more adapted thought patterns.
Then there is coping therapy, which tries to develop a repertoire of skills to help the patient cope with a variety of stressful situations.
Finally, we have problem-solving therapies, which involve a combination of the two previous types and focus on the development of general strategies for dealing with a number of personal problems, and insist on the importance of active interaction between patient and therapist.

Cognitive therapies based on cognitive restructuring

These try to identify and change cognitions such as irrational thought patterns, distorted thoughts and negative self-talk.

The most representative exponents are Ellis’ “rational emotional behavior therapy”, Aaron Beck’s “cognitive behavioral therapy”, Marvin Goldfried’s “emotional adjustment therapy” and Meichenbaum’s “self-instructional exercise therapy”.

Rational Emotional Behavior Therapy by Albert Ellis

This theory claims that most mental problems are due to the presence of maladaptive (irrational) thought patterns. Thus , people largely control their own destiny and their behavior is largely influenced by their perceptions and values.

Rational emotional behavior therapy is a form of shortcut to psychotherapy that helps identify thoughts and emotions that lead to defeat. It reviews and tests the rationality of these feelings, and replaces them with more productive and practical perceptions.

This approach focuses mainly on the present to help understand the mechanisms and thought patterns and perceptions that cause discomfort. This discomfort in turn leads to harmful actions and behaviors. And these affect the achievement of goals and emotional balance.

Cognitive therapies: Beck’s cognitive behavioral therapy

Emotional and / or behavioral disorders are the result of changes in the processing of information that result from the activation of latent forms. Therefore, these are the key elements of this theory:

First, people develop a number of basic forms that help them organize their cognitive systems during childhood.
Then they can get thoughts or mental representations automatically, without interfering with a previous reasoning.
They can also create cognitive distortions and errors in information processing.
Finally, stressful life events can activate basic dysfunctional forms.

Godfrey’s emotional adjustment therapy

This is based on Ellis’ model as an attempt to achieve even greater specification and adapt to a self-controlling procedure. Thus, the goal is to teach clients coping skills and to be able to cope with problematic situations. This is done in order to allow them to acquire more sensible perspectives on disturbing events.

Cognitive therapies: Meichenbaum’s self-instructional exercise therapy

This theory is based on the work of Luria and Vygotsky. It is about the importance of an “inner language” and the regulation of behavior. In addition, the historical background of self-training techniques can be dated back to the work of the sixties with hyperactive and aggressive children.

In contrast to emotional adjustment therapy, this form of exercise focuses more on the ability to modify behavior and on emotions through self-verbalizations. It focuses less on a patient’s perceptions and irrational ideas.

The procedure is as follows:

Firstly; modeling.
External guidance said aloud.
Then self-instruction said aloud.
Self-instruction with low voice.
Finally, hidden self-instructions.

Cognitive therapies based on coping skills

These therapies try to teach skills so that a person can cope with problem situations adequately. The most relevant are Meichenbaum’s stress inoculation therapy and Suinn and Richardson’s theory of anxiety management training.

Cognitive therapies: Meichenbaum’s stress inoculation therapy

The goal is to develop and / or give the subject skills and abilities that allow them to reduce / cancel tensions and physiological activations. Also, replace previous negative interpretations with an arsenal of positive thoughts to deal with stress.

There are three recognizable phases in stress inoculation therapy that sometimes overlap:

Conceptualizing phase.
Acquisition phase and skills training.
Application phase for acquired skills.

Suinn and Richardson’s anxiety management training

The goal of this therapy is to teach a person to use relaxing techniques and other skills in a variety of situations. All to help them control anxiety reactions.

The results of this therapy appear to be positive, not only for generalized anxiety, but also for trial anxiety and fear of public speaking.

In the author’s opinion, it also seems superior to systematic desensitization. This is because it leads to positive effects in the three response channels (affective, behavioral and somatic). Thus, it reduces blood pressure, improves performance and reduces problematic cognitions.

Cognitive therapies based on problem solving

They aim to correct the way a person addresses their problems. It provides a systematic method for resolving these situations.

D’Zutilla-Goldfried’s problem-solving therapy

This aims to teach systematic methods for problem solving to a person and gives them methods to be able to analyze and evaluate possible opinions. It also provides a specific perspective for interpreting the world.

It is effectively combined with other techniques and is mostly used as problem solving therapy. In fact, it has the largest number of applications and experimental studies.

Interpersonal problem-solving technique by Spivack and Shure

The goal of this therapy is to increase social adjustment and competence. Thus, interpersonal problem-solving skills work to achieve this.

For example, on defining what a problem is: This is when an effective response to deal with the situation is not immediately available.

The skills that measure social adaptation are either alternating thinking, causal thinking, method goals (from 8-10 years of age to adolescence), and consequential thinking (through adolescence).

Mahoney’s personal research

The therapy will train the subject as a personal researcher for the diagnosis and to control their own conflict behavior.

This means modeling, systematic reinforcement, gradual completion of tasks, and the acquisition of skills for self-assessment. It is perhaps most attractive to people who appreciate research, control and competition.