Changes and new theoretical formulations for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Since the seventies is known Bandura's work derived from the application of the Theory of Learning in a social environment: it postulates that the relationship between behavior and environment intervened the "cognitive processes" that act as mediators or modifiers of this behavior.

Cognitive processes are not observable behaviors that can be of two types:

  • physiological reactions (eg, heartbeat, breathing rate, muscle tension, blurred vision, fatigue not explained by the level of activity)
  • Thoughts: more or less deliberate decision that takes the person on what value or meaning to a stimulus (eg, watching the clock to see and express time: too late!, It starts to rain and say they roll !, something goes wrong and we say: I have to try again and better!).

In these theoretical models is derived Cognitive Theory, developed by AT Beck, and initially applied to psychological treatment of depression.

Cognitive theory posits that behavior and its consequences is determined by how the person understands, interprets and structures the world based on their own attitudes and assumptions it has developed from their experiences and prior learning. These assessment processes are universal, all people do, but finally the meaning assigned to each environmental condition or experience is particular to each individual. The result of this assessment is expressed in the form of tags, ratings or incorporate very specific definitions in our internal language, or particular discourse that always keep to ourselves and which we describe what we see, what we feel, what we is happening, what will the others. Continued repetition of these assessments in inner speech may activate certain emotions and feelings, which in time will influence and conditions as the person continues to evaluate and label and determining what and how they choose to do the same to face the world in general and daily concrete experiences and in particular (eg, if every time we encounter a difficulty, automatically think, "never learn", "I do everything wrong" ... it is more likely to feel discouraged : on the contrary, we say "it is more difficult than anticipated," "I need a little more time to resolve," is more likely to feel energized to continue to face difficulty).

Cognitive Therapy is the process for identifying and modifying these "cognitive processes" in order to modify their impact on behavior and emotions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy offers and applies specific techniques and procedures and also uses the techniques and procedures of behavior therapy and therefore people referring to cognitive therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy.