What is cognitive-behavioral therapy and name one core technique?

What is cognitive-behavioral therapy and name one core technique?

• A. Biological interventions with medication alone.
• B. Dream analysis and free association.
• C. Therapy focusing on self-actualization.
• D. Therapy combining cognitive restructuring with behavioral techniques; technique: exposure therapy.

Answer: (D)

Cognitive-behavioral therapy treats problems by changing how people think and how they act, recognizing that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence one another. It’s typically structured, time-limited, and collaborative, with homework to practice skills between sessions. A core technique is cognitive restructuring—learning to identify automatic negative thoughts, evaluate their accuracy, and replace them with more balanced interpretations. When this cognitive work is paired with behavioral methods, such as exposure to feared situations, the approach becomes especially effective. Exposure therapy, for example, gradually and systematically confronts feared stimuli to reduce avoidance and anxiety through repeated, controlled exposure, leading to new learning about the feared situation. This combination—changing thoughts and changing behaviors—defines CBT and fits the description given. The other descriptions point to different therapies (biological with medication, psychodynamic methods, or humanistic approaches) and don’t capture the CBT blend of cognitive and behavioral techniques.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy treats problems by changing how people think and how they act, recognizing that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence one another. It’s typically structured, time-limited, and collaborative, with homework to practice skills between sessions. A core technique is cognitive restructuring—learning to identify automatic negative thoughts, evaluate their accuracy, and replace them with more balanced interpretations. When this cognitive work is paired with behavioral methods, such as exposure to feared situations, the approach becomes especially effective. Exposure therapy, for example, gradually and systematically confronts feared stimuli to reduce avoidance and anxiety through repeated, controlled exposure, leading to new learning about the feared situation. This combination—changing thoughts and changing behaviors—defines CBT and fits the description given. The other descriptions point to different therapies (biological with medication, psychodynamic methods, or humanistic approaches) and don’t capture the CBT blend of cognitive and behavioral techniques.