Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (Evaluation)

ABC Model and Collaborative Empiricism

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based on a dynamic formulation where the patient's problems are posed in cognitive terms.

The core of the assessment is the ABC Model, where "A" represents the event or situation (stimulus), "B" is the belief system or thoughts about that event, and "C" is the emotional and behavioral consequences.

For example, when faced with a dismissal (A), the thought "I am a failure" (B) generates depression and isolation (C).

The therapist works from collaborative empiricism, inviting the patient to actively participate in the validation of his thoughts as if they were hypotheses, orienting himself to clear objectives and educating the patient about his own psychological functioning.

Session Structure and Functional Analysis

CBT sessions are structured and time-limited. They seek to identify what the patient thinks, feels and does.

Functional Behavioral Analysis is vital to understand the problem, considering variables of the patient (biological, cognitive) and the environment.

The E-O-R-C (Stimulus-Organism-Response-Consequence) formula is used to break down how environmental and personal antecedents trigger a response that is maintained by its consequences.

The assessment includes the use of logs or self-records to monitor these patterns outside of the consultation.

Summary

CBT uses the ABC Model to connect events, beliefs, and emotional consequences.