Cognitive Behavior Modification Research Articles

Mieux vivre avec la douleur chronique grâce à la thérapie d’acceptation et d’engagement

The purpose of this article is to present the characteristics of the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for the treatment of chronic pain. The historical context of the development of cognitive and behavioural therapy (CBT) for chronic pain will be described and the theoretical aspects of ACT will be introduced. The components of an acceptance and mindfulness based treatment will also be presented by exploring various processes of the psychological flexibility model. Finally, the article will summarize the scientific evidence supporting ACT based on experimental, correlational and clinical studies in the field of chronic pain. The theoretical aspects underlying ACT, as well as its clinical components in the specific domain of chronic pain were described based on major books in this area, such as McCracken (2005) and Dahl et al. (2005). A descriptive literature review was undertaken to explore the data on the efficacy of ACT for the treatment of chronic pain. Psycinfo and Medline, as well as the Association for Contextual Science website were analyzed for relevant articles. The key search terms were: "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy" or "ACT" or "acceptance" or "mindfulness" or "defusion" and "chronic pain" or "pain." The reference lists of the articles retrieved were also analyzed. The articles that were not in English or French were excluded as well as those that were not specific to ACT and chronic pain. Results show that ACT is a relevant and empirically supported approach that may be used as a complement to CBT strategies in the treatment of chronic pain. There is growing evidence stemming from experimental and correlational studies that support the majority of the ACT processes. Clinical studies undertaken in the field of chronic pain from different backgrounds support the efficacy of ACT for the management of this condition. ACT is a promising and evidence-based approach for the treatment of chronic pain. More research is needed to further validate its theoretical model and further refine our understanding of how ACT could be effective for the management of chronic pain and enhance quality of life for people who suffer from this health condition. For now, ACT is considered to be as effective as traditional cognitive and behavioral therapy for chronic pain.

Therapist Ethnicity and Treatment Orientation Differences in Multicultural Counseling Competencies.

This study examined the relationship between therapist characteristics, therapeutic orientations, person-level and agency-level practices with cultural competency among 221 Los Angeles County community mental health clinicians. Results from an online survey indicated that compared to White therapists, ethnic minority therapists were more personally involved in communities of color, more likely to use a cultural framework in clinical practice, and perceived their agencies to be more culturally sensitive. Ethnic minority therapists also reported greater multicultural (MC) awareness and better MC counseling relationships with their clients than White therapists. Personal involvement in communities of color accounted for ethnic differences in MC awareness and MC counseling relationships. Compared to therapists with a strictly non-behavioral (psychodynamic or humanistic) orientation, therapists with an eclectic (or integrative) therapy orientation reported having a higher level of community knowledge. Therapists with an eclectic orientation reported greater MC awareness than therapists with a non-behavioral orientation, while both eclectic and behavioral (cognitive behavioral or behavior modification) therapists recounted better MC counseling relationships with their clients than therapists with a non-behavioral orientation. Community knowledge mediated eclectic vs. non-behavioral therapeutic orientation differences in MC awareness. Agency resources/linkages and outreach both moderated the relationship between therapeutic orientation and MC skills. Results suggest that if therapists become more personally involved with diverse populations, they will feel more culturally aware and feel like they have a better relationship with ethnic minority clients.

高齢者の睡眠とヘルスプロモーション―快眠とストレス緩和のための習慣づくり―

This paper is an overview of sleep, lifestyle, mental, and physical health, and the characteristics of insomnia among the elderly. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the effects of the sleep management with actual examples of public health from the community. Sleep management that included short naps and exercise in the evening was effective in promoting sleep and mental health with elderly people. The interventions demonstrated that the proper awakening maintenance and keeping proper arousal level during the evening were effective in improving sleep quality. Furthermore, sleep management that included sleep education and cognitive-behavioral interventions improved sleep-related habits and the quality of sleep. In this study, a sleep educational program using minimal cognitive-behavioral modification techniques was developed. Mental and physical health were also improved along with improving sleep with the elderly. These results suggest that cognitive-behavioral interventions to improve the sleep practices are effective for mental health, the activity of daily living (ADL), and the quality of life (QOL).

'Third wave' cognitive and behavioural therapies versus other psychological therapies for depression

So-called 'third wave' cognitive and behavioural therapies represents a new generation of psychological therapies that are increasingly being used in the treatment of psychological problems. However, the effectiveness and acceptability of third wave cognitive and behavioural therapy (CBT) approaches as a treatment for depression compared with other psychological therapies remain unclear. 1. To examine the effects of all third wave CBT approaches compared with all other psychological therapy approaches for acute depression.2. To examine the effects of different third wave CBT approaches (ACT, compassionate mind training, functional analytic psychotherapy, extended behavioural activation and metacognitive therapy) compared with all other psychological therapy approaches for acute depression.3. To examine the effects of all third wave CBT approaches compared with different psychological therapy approaches (psychodynamic, behavioural, humanistic, integrative, cognitive-behavioural) for acute depression. We searched the Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Group Specialised Register (CCDANCTR to 01/01/12), which includes relevant randomised controlled trials from The Cochrane Library (all years), EMBASE (1974-), MEDLINE (1950-) and PsycINFO (1967-). We also searched CINAHL (May 2010) and PSYNDEX (June 2010) and reference lists of the included studies and relevant reviews for additional published and unpublished studies. An updated search of CCDANCTR restricted to search terms relevant to third wave CBT was conducted in March 2013 (CCDANCTR to 01/02/13). Randomised controlled trials that compared various third wave CBT with other psychological therapies for acute depression in adults. Two review authors independently identified studies, assessed trial quality and extracted data. Study authors were contacted for additional information where required. We rated the quality of evidence using GRADE methods. A total of three studies involving 144 eligible participants were included in the review. Two of the studies (56 participants) compared an early version of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) with CBT, and one study (88 eligible participants) compared extended behavioural activation with CBT. No other studies of third wave CBT were identified. The two ACT studies were assessed as being at high risk of performance bias and researcher allegiance. Post-treatment results, which were based on dropout rates, showed no evidence of any difference between third wave CBT and other psychological therapies for the primary outcomes of efficacy (risk ratio (RR) of clinical response 1.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.79 to 1.64; very low quality) and acceptability. Results at two-month follow-up showed no evidence of any difference between third wave CBT and other psychological therapies for clinical response (2 studies, 56 participants, RR 0.22, 95% CI 0.04 to 1.15). Moderate statistical heterogeneity was indicated in the acceptability analyses (I(2) = 41%). Very low quality evidence suggests that third wave CBT and CBT approaches are equally effective and acceptable in the treatment of acute depression. Evidence is limited in quantity, quality and breadth of available studies, precluding us from drawing any conclusions as to their short- or longer-term equivalence. The increasing popularity of third wave CBT approaches in clinical practice underscores the importance of completing further studies to compare various third wave CBT approaches with other psychological therapy approaches to inform clinicians and policymakers on the most effective forms of psychological therapy in treating depression.

'Third wave' cognitive and behavioural therapies versus treatment as usual for depression

So-called 'third wave' cognitive and behavioural therapies represent a new generation of psychological therapies that are increasingly being used in the treatment of psychological problems. However, the effectiveness and acceptability of third-wave cognitive and behavioural therapy (CBT) approaches as treatment for acute depression remain unclear. 1. To examine the effects of all third wave CBT approaches compared with treatment as usual/waiting list/attention placebo/psychological placebo control conditions for acute depression.2. To examine the effects of different third wave CBT approaches (ACT, compassionate mind training, functional analytic psychotherapy, dialectical behaviour therapy, MBCT, extended behavioural activation and metacognitive therapy) compared with treatment as usual/waiting list/attention placebo/psychological placebo control conditions for acute depression.3. To examine the effects of all third wave CBT approaches compared with different types of comparators (treatment as usual, no treatment, waiting list, attention placebo, psychological placebo) for acute depression. We searched the Cochrane Depression Anxiety and Neurosis Group Trials Specialised Register (CCDANCTR to 01/01/12), which includes relevant randomised controlled trials from The Cochrane Library (all years), EMBASE, (1974-), MEDLINE (1950-) and PsycINFO (1967-). We also searched CINAHL (May 2010) and PSYNDEX (June 2010) and reference lists of the included studies and relevant reviews for additional published and unpublished studies. An updated search of CCDANCTR restricted to search terms relevant to third wave CBT therapies was conducted in March 2013 (CCDANCTR to 01/02/13). Randomised controlled trials that compared third wave CBT therapies with control conditions for acute depression in adults. Two review authors independently identified studies, assessed trial quality and extracted data. Study authors were contacted for additional information when required. We rated the quality of evidence using GRADE methods. Four small studies (224 participants) were included in the review. Little information was provided about the process of allocating participants to groups. None of the studies used independent outcome assessors, and evidence suggested researcher allegiance towards the active treatments. The four studies examined a diversity of third wave CBT approaches (extended behavioural activation, acceptance and commitment therapy and competitive memory training) and control conditions. None of the studies conducted follow-up assessments. The results showed a significant difference in clinical response rates in favour of third wave CBT when compared with treatment as usual (TAU) conditions (three studies, 170 participants, risk ratio (RR) 0.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.27 to 0.95; very low quality). No significant difference in treatment acceptability based on dropout rates was found between third wave CBT approaches and TAU (four studies, 224 participants, RR 1.01, 95% CI 0.08 to 12.30; very low quality). Both analyses showed substantial statistical heterogeneity. Very low quality evidence suggests that third wave CBT approaches appear to be more effective than treatment as usual in the treatment of acute depression. The very small number of available studies and the diverse types of interventions and control comparators, together with methodological limitations, limit the ability to draw any conclusions on their effect in the short term or over a longer term. The increasing popularity of third wave CBT approaches in clinical practice underscores the importance of completing further studies of third wave CBT approaches in the treatment of acute depression, on a short- and long-term basis, to provide evidence of their effectiveness to policy-makers, clinicians and users of services.

La dyschésie psychologique de l’enfant : anxiété, éducation comportementale et TCC

L’acquisition de la propreté chez l’enfant est très importante dans notre société, car elle conditionne l’entrée en maternelle. Les troubles du contrôle sphinctérien (encoprésie et énurésie) sont les phénomènes qui entravent cette entrée scolaire. Parmi ces troubles, les cliniciens reçoivent en consultation de jeunes enfants en raison de leur incapacité ou difficulté d’exonération des selles, c’est-à-dire à émettre naturellement des selles. Ce trouble que l’on nomme la dyschésie semble être un phénomène nouveau. Il amène les parents en consultation, souvent après la rencontre d’un médecin généraliste et des examens médicaux dénotant l’absence de problèmes organiques. Nous nommons cette dyschésie qui a alors une étiologie psychique : dyschésie psychologique. L’objectif de cet article, après avoir dressé un état des lieux de la dyschésie, consiste : (1) à spécifier la symptomatologie de la dyschésie psychologique et (2) sur la base d’une étude de cas d’un enfant reçu en consultations, à proposer une prise en charge d’inspiration cognitivo-comportementale. Si sur le plan psychothérapique nous observons les bénéfices de cette prise en charge de la dyschésie (nous avons suivi plusieurs enfants pour ce problème), des recherches épidémiologiques et étiopathogéniques nous semblent nécessaires, pour confirmer ou infirmer les mécanismes qui nous semblent sous-tendre ce problème, et ainsi, améliorer la prise en charge. Toilet training is an important step in the bodily and social development of young children. It is particularly important in France as it can hinder entrance to kindergarten (which is free in France). Children who have not developed sphincter control may be refused admission to nursery school. The most frequent disorders of sphincter control are encopresis and enuresis, for which cognitive and behavioral therapy (CBT) has shown to be efficient. Nevertheless, clinicians see young children for psychological counseling for a different kind of sphincter control disorder: their incapacity or difficulty in evacuating stools, i.e., to naturally pass stools. This disorder which belongs to dyschezia specter seems to be a new phenomenon. It causes parents and their child to seek counseling, often after consultation with a general practitioner and medical examinations confirming the absence of biological problems. We call this particular form of dyschezia, which has a psychological etiology, psychological dyschezia. This article focuses on dyschezia. Firstly, we drew up an inventory of dyschezia from a general point of view. Then, we indicated the mechanism of stool evacuation regarding its normal and pathological aspects. We presented the epidemiological studies which focus on constipation. Finally, we detailed the biological, functional and psychological causes of dyschezia. Secondly, we focused on psychological dyschezia. We defined it as either the incapacity or the difficulty in evacuating stools (difficult or slow evacuation requiring prolonged efforts), or as the retention of stools in the absence of a biological or functional anomaly. In addition, we presented the symptomatology in terms of the criteria allowing a diagnosis. Furthermore, we illustrated this phenomenon of psychological dyschezia with a case study on a child, Maël, who is 4 and a half years old. He was receiving counseling because, since starting nursery school, he has not been able to evacuate stools in the toilet or on the potty, and can only achieve evacuation in his diaper. Prior to kindergarten, he had no particular problem and was able to evacuate stools normally. We presented the functional analysis of the behavior problem, the etiopathogenic hypotheses (stress bound to the context change from home to nursery school and fear of pain during the push) and psychotherapeutic hypotheses (management of stress bound to the nursery school, learning how to push, deconditioning of the fear of pain during the push). The therapy was developed around two axes: psycho-education and CBT. The psycho-education part aimed at teaching the child the normal mechanism of evacuation. It was also a question of understanding if the child perceived the cues indicating the need for evacuation and, if so, how he reacted. The cognitive-behavioral part used materials: figurines and a miniature house. On one hand, it focused on learning how to push at the level of the stomach by means of a figurine symbolizing the child. On the other hand, it investigated the psychological world of the child and the need to decrease toilet anxiety and the fear of pain during the push. On a psychotherapeutic level, we observed the clinical benefits (we followed several children for this problem) as Maël can now pass stools normally. It is therefore necessary to set up epidemiological and etiopathogenic research to confirm or invalidate our hypotheses on mechanisms that seem to underline this problem, in order to improve the therapy.

Tutorial: Cognitive Psychology as a Radical Behaviorist Views It

Cognitive psychology is the name for a class of positions that embrace mentalism: appeals to explicitly nonbehavioral states, mechanisms, processes, structures, and the like, operating in an explicitly nonbehavioral dimension of the mind, as causally effective antecedents in explanations of behavior. The present article reviews the background and nature of cognitive psychology, especially as contrasted with behaviorism. Of particular interest are the theoretical and philosophical differences between cognitive psychology and behaviorism, for instance, as those differences concern their respective explanatory practices. We conclude that cognitive psychology has conceptual affinities with mediational neobehaviorism, and that the radical behaviorism of B. F. Skinner differs from them both.

Improving the social cognitive deficits of schizophrenia: a community trial of Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT)

Social Cognition and Interaction Training (SCIT) is a Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy (CBT) informed group therapy with an emerging evidence base in addressing the social cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia. This paper evaluates the application of this therapy within a community public mental health setting in Australia. A mixed methods approach to the evaluation was undertaken, including survey data and thematic analysis. Considerable challenges were met in the trial of SCIT in this 'real-world' setting. The qualitative data suggested that at least a subset of participants viewed the program as valuable and relevant to their needs. Further research is required to realise the benefits of SCIT found in research settings, in the real world of public community psychiatric practice.

1113 – Dynamics of cognitive and behavioural therapy-related fMRI changes in obsessive compulsive disorder using a personalised symptom provocation task

Background Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a successful treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It is known to induce changes in cerebral metabolism, but the dynamics of these changes and their relation to clinical evolution remain largely unknown, precluding the identification of individualized response biomarkers. Methods We performed systematic clinical and fMRI evaluation of 35 OCD patients immediately before a three-month course of CBT, halfway through and at its end, as well as 6 months after in order to study the dynamics of treatment response. To sensitize fMRI probing, we used an original exposition task using neutral, generic and personalised obsession-inducing images. Results CBT produced a significant improvement in OCD, already predicted by response at midtherapy (r 2 =0.67, p 45%), behavioural sensitivity to generic stimuli was reduced, even more so for personalised ones. Clinical improvement was markedly concomitant to a decrease of activity in the anterior cingulate and left but not right orbitofrontal cortices. Conclusions Using an innovative and highly sensitive exposition paradigm in fMRI, we show that clinical and metabolic phenotypes have parallel evolutions during CBT. Our results, which suggest that the initial CBT sessions are crucial, prompt us to investigate the anatomo-functional modifications underlying the earlier stages of the therapy.

A comparison of cognitive bias modification for interpretation and computerized cognitive behavior therapy: Effects on anxiety, depression, attentional control, and interpretive bias.

Objective: Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) and cognitive bias modification for interpretation (CBM-I) both have demonstrated efficacy in alleviating social anxiety, but how they compare with each other has not been investigated. The present study tested the prediction that both interventions would reduce anxiety relative to a no-intervention comparison condition, but CBM-I would be particularly effective at modifying threat-related cognitive bias under high mental load. Method: Sixty-three primarily Caucasian adults (mean age = 22.7, SD = 5.87; 68.3% female) with high social anxiety, randomly allocated to 3 groups: CBM-I (n = 21), cCBT (n = 21), and a no-intervention control group (n = 21) provided complete data for analysis. Pre- and postintervention (4 sessions lasting 2 weeks, control participants only attended the pre–post sessions) self-report measures of anxiety, depression, attentional control, and threat-related interpretive bias were completed. In addition, interpretive bias under high versus low cognitive load was measured using the Scrambled Sentences Test. Results: Both CBM-I and cCBT groups reported significantly reduced levels of social anxiety, trait anxiety, and depression and improved attentional control, relative to the control group, with no clear superiority of either active intervention. Although both active conditions reduced negative bias on the Scrambled Sentences Test completed under mental load, CBM-I was significantly more effective at doing so. Conclusions: The results suggest that although not differing in therapeutic efficacy, CBM-I and cCBT might differ in the resilience of their effects when under mental load.

Reducing youth's drug abuse through training social workers for cognitive–behavioral integrated treatment

Abstract Cognitive–behavioral integrated treatment (CBIT) is an intervention that social workers can learn to treat youth's drug abuse by cognitive restructuring, behavioral modification, and goal setting. A way to enhance the learning is training specifically for CBIT. Evaluation of the effectiveness of such training in raising social workers' CBIT practice and their young service users' illicit-drug-free days is the aim of this experimental study. This study first randomly assigned 14 outreach social workers to receive training for CBIT and 14 outreach social workers not to receive the training. The study also assessed 222 young service users (aged 11–22 years) engaged by 28 outreach social workers before the training and 169 of them after the training in a six-month follow-up. Furthermore, the study identified the reduction in the youth's dysfunctional cognition of playfulness as a means to deter the youth's drug abuse, based on personal interviews with outreach social workers and their young service users before the training. Derived from the statistical analysis of assessment data, results principally showed cascading effects from the social worker's reception of the CBIT training to the young service user's reception of CBIT, reduced playfulness, and lengthened drug-free days. A supplementary finding was that the young service user's time in the outreach social work service prolonged drug-free days and reduced playfulness. These results imply that the outreach social work service, CBIT training, and CBIT are useful for treating youth's illicit drug abuse.

Mood regulation in youth

Mood regulation problems, such as severe chronic irritability or short episodes of mania-like symptoms, are common, impairing and a topic of intense recent interest to clinicians, researchers and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM)-5 process. Here, we review the most recent findings about these two presentations and discuss the approaches to their treatment. Longitudinal and genetic findings suggest that chronic irritability should be regarded as a mood problem that is distinct from bipolar disorder. A proportion of children with short (less than 4 days) episodes of mania-like symptoms seem to progress to classical (Type I or II) bipolar disorder over time in the US clinic samples. In a UK sample, such episodes were independently associated with psychosocial impairment. The evidence base for the treatment of either irritability or short-lived episodes of mania-like symptoms is still small. Clinicians should be cautious with extrapolating treatments from classical bipolar disorder to these mood regulation problems. Cognitive and behavioural therapy (CBT)-based approaches targeting general mood regulation processes may be effective for cases with severe irritability or short episodes of mania-like symptoms. There is increasing research evidence for the importance of mood regulation problems in the form of either irritability or short episodes of mania-like symptoms in youth. The evidence base for their drug treatment has yet to be developed. CBT-based interventions to modify the processes of mood regulation may be a useful and well tolerated intervention for patients with these presentations.

Evaluation of a Mindfulness-based Intervention for Adolescents with Learning Disabilities and Co-occurring ADHD and Anxiety

The current study evaluated the impact of a 20-week mindfulness training program on executive function (EF), internalizing and externalizing behavior and social skills in a clinical sample of adolescent boys with learning disabilities (LD). Integra Mindfulness Martial Arts (MMA) is a manualized group treatment program incorporating elements of mindfulness meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), behavior modification and mixed martial arts. Adolescents (ages 12–18; n = 60) with LD were assigned to the MMA or wait list control group (WL). Adolescents and their parents completed standardized questionnaires before and after training. Subgroup analyses were conducted to investigate the impact of the intervention on youth with co-occurring attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or anxiety. Compared to the WL group, MMA participants with co-occurring ADHD (14 MMA, 14 WL) improved on parent-rated externalizing behavior, oppositional defiant problems and conduct problems. Boys with elevated hyperactive/impulsive symptoms (12 MMA, 17 WL) improved on parent-rated social problems and monitoring skills. Boys with elevated inattentive symptoms (15 MMA, 18 WL) improved on parent-rated social problems. Boys with elevated anxiety (12 MMA, 17 WL) reported decreased anxiety. MMA shows promise as an alternative treatment option for youth with LD and co-occurring difficulties.

P-814 - Longitudinal fMRI assesment of cognitive and behavioral therapy for obsessive compulsive disorder: are there neurobiological markers of response to treatment?

Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is recognized as a valid tool to improve Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) symptoms. The orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)-striatal circuit appears to play an important role in the pathophysiology of OCD. Neuroimaging studies suggest that CBT might change its abnormal activity in OCD patients. The aim of this study is to use longitudinal functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to assess the neural correlates of clinical improvement in OCD patients undergoing CBT. Thirty-five OCD patients with checking compulsions undergoing 15 individual weekly CBT sessions were assessed on symptom severity with the Y-BOCS [1] at four stages of the therapies: before, during, at the end of therapy and six months later. On each assessment, patients also performed a symptom-provocation task in fMRI during which they reported their anxiety level upon watching neutral photographs, generic (validated in a population of OCD checkers) vs individualized (patient's photographs of personal objects) checking-provoking photographs. Clinically, CBT resulted in a significant improvement (Y-BOCS scores: 24.8; 18,3; 13,7; 13.9). Behaviorally, the symptom-provocation task elicited anxiety that decreased through therapy (p < 0.05), even more so for individualized vs generic pictures (interaction p < 0.05). At the brain level, individualized pictures elicited activation in a distributed network specifically in right and left OFC, where neural response decreased during and after CBT, underlining the interest of tailoring individualized symptom-provoking items on the path to neuromarkers of response to psychotherapy.

Study of Analysis and Evaluation Method for Cognitive Behaviorism for Deduction of User's Mental Type in Componentized Web Contents Environment

Study of Analysis and Evaluation Method for Cognitive Behaviorism for Deduction of User's Mental Type in Componentized Web Contents Environment

The Effect of Meichenbaum's Cognitive Behaviour Modification Therapy on Reduction of Test Anxiety Symptoms in High School Girls

Introduction: The present study was conducted with the aim of surveying the effectiveness of Donald Meichenbaum cognitive behaviour modification therapy. Method: The method of this study is pure experimental research with pre test-post test with control group .The society of study, contains all high school students in the Tehran. For performing this study, 20 students with test anxiety have been chosen by cluster sampling method after a diagnostic test(Test Anxiety Inventory, TAI). Then, they have assigned to experiment and control group equally (10 person). The experiment group received cognitive behaviour modification for 8 sessions, but the control group didn’t. The data was analyzed by Quvariance test. Results: Results show that the test anxiety symptoms reduced significantly in experiment group in comparison to control group .(p<0.001) Conclusion: The study found that the cognitive behaviour modification therapy is efficient and useful in reduction of test anxiety symptoms and educational performance of high school students.

EFFECT OF BDNF MET66VAL POLYMORPHISM ON HIPPOCAMPAL STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION: A META-ANALYSIS

The results from a meta-analysis of 70 Rational-Emotive Therapy (RET) outcome studies are reported. A total of 236 comparisons of RET to baseline, control groups, Cognitive Behavior Modification, Behavior Therapy, or other psychotherapies are examined. The results indicate that subjects receiving RET demonstrated significant improvement over baseline measures and control groups. Effect-size was significantly related to therapist experience and to duration of the therapy, but there were no significant differences in effect-size between those studies that used psychotherapy clients compared to those using students as subjects. Those comparisons that were rated high in internal validity (random assignment, low attrition, and outcome measures low in reactivity), had significantly higher effect-sizes than medium validity studies. Outcome measures rated as low in reactivity (i.e., those measures which did not have an immediately discernable relationship with the treatments being assessed) had significantly higher effect-sizes than more reactive measures. Contrary to other reviews using the narrative review method, RET was found to be an effective form of therapy. This conclusion, however, was tempered by methodological flaws in the studies reviewed, such as lack of follow-up data and information regarding attrition rates.

Research and development of intellectual consciousness for Thai youths’ quality of life

The research aimed to explore and develop intellectual consciousness. The results showed that psycho-social factors such as cognitive social-emotional socialization from parents, teachers, and friends as well as self-control could predict students’ intellectual consciousness which in turn had impact on students’ prosocial behavior, problem-solving, and quality of life. It was also found that students who received oriental mind-body approach, cognitive-behavior modification, and self-control training programs had higher emotional intelligence, public mind, and appropriate consumption behavior than students who did not attend the training programs.

Best Practices: An Emerging Best Practice Model for Perinatal Depression Care

Best Practices: An Emerging Best Practice Model for Perinatal Depression Care

Reflections on the "Cognitive Behavior Modification"

This paper is meant to outline the origins of cognitive-behavior modification. At the same time, we describe the main cognitive techniques used in the treatment of infant and adult behavioral problems.