Evaluation of CBT Flashcards
Describe the strengths of CBT in terms of effectiveness.
Research support:
Effective in treating depression and anxiety-related problems.
Jarrett et al. found CBT as effective as antidepressants when treating 108 patients with depression across 10 weeks.
Empowerment:
Develop own coping strategies and people have free will to do this
Not determinist like psychoanalysis because individual is able to change behavior.
Describe the weaknesses of CBT in terms of effectiveness.
Therapist competence:
Ability to structure sessions and engage in positive therapeutic relations and review assignments.
Kuyken demonstrated up to 15% variance in outcomes of CBT due to therapist competence
Individual differences:
More suitable for some because ineffective for those with strong and rigid irrational beliefs.
Simons showed less suitable in situations where high stress levels reflect realistic stressors in person’s life that therapy can’t resolve.
Describe the weaknesses of CBT in terms of ethics.
Patient blame:
Client is responsible for disorder. Situational factors that contribute to disorder overlooked like family problems - these cannot be changed.
Blaming not useful as other aspects need to change.
Rational:
Alloy found that depressive realists see things for what they are. Normal people distort things in a positive way.
Depressed people have sadder but wise outlook and more accurate in estimated of disaster than non depressed.
Damage esteem hence psychological harm.
