The 10 most used cognitive-behavioral techniques

The search for different ways to help people manage and cope with different psychological and behavioral problems is a constant in psychology. Throughout the relatively short history of this discipline, different people and schools of thought have managed to develop more or less effective techniques to treat these problems and disorders.

Some of the contributions that the greatest scientific evidence has shown in the successful treatment of these problems come from the cognitive-behavioral paradigm, the predominant one today. In this article we will see ten proven cognitive-behavioral techniques.

• Related article: "The 10 most effective types of psychological therapy"

The cognitive-behavioral paradigm

Born from the fusion between behavioral techniques and procedures that seek scientific knowledge based on the observable and the knowledge that behind the behavior there are various psychological processes that explain why we act, think and feel how we do it, the cognitive-behavioral model or approach is based on working on cognitive aspects in order to produce a significant and profound modification of behavior.

It works on the inheritance left by the behaviorism, applying and adapting numerous techniques of this current so that the behavior modification is not something mechanical and temporary but causes a change in the way of perceiving reality and the existence of problems in patients. Aspects such as information processing, coping mechanisms, self-concept and self-esteem or other variables such as abilities, beliefs and attitudes towards the world.

Through the methods derived from this approach a wide variety of mental problems are treated from a point of view validated by science and focused on current problems, working from the symptoms present to obtain an improvement in the quality of life of the patient and a relief of his discomfort.

A dozen cognitive-behavioral techniques

Within the cognitive-behavioral paradigm, there are multiple treatments, therapies and techniques that can be used in order to produce an improvement in the patient. Many of them are techniques arising from behaviorism to which cognitive elements have been added. Some of the techniques used are briefly explained below.

1. Exposure techniques

These types of techniques are used especially in cases of phobias and anxiety and impulse control disorders. They are based on confronting the patient with the feared stimulus or anxiety generator until it is reduced, so that he can learn to manage his behavior before him while at the cognitive level he restructures the thought processes that make him feel discomfort before said stimulus or situation.

In general, a hierarchy of feared stimuli is made between patient and therapist, so that the latter can gradually approach and gradually expose themselves to them. The speed of approach can vary enormously depending on whether the patient feels more or less able to cope with the feared.

Exposure techniques can be applied in many different ways, both live and in imagination and it is even possible to take advantage of technological possibilities to apply exposure through reality virtual.

• Related article: "Types of Phobias: Exploring Fear Disorders"

2. Systematic desensitization

Although the procedure applied in systematic desensitization is similar to that of exposure, since it also establishes a hierarchy of anxiogenic stimuli to which the patient is going to be exposed, it differs from previous techniques in the fact that the patient has previously been trained in the performance of responses incompatible with the anxiety.

A) Yes, it seeks to reduce anxiety and the avoidance of situations and stimuli by performing behaviors that prevent it from appearing, and over time cause a counterconditioning that ends up generalizing.

Different variants of this technique are emotional staging (applied especially with children and using a pleasant context in which stimuli are gradually introduced), emotional imagination (in which positive mental images are used that avoid anxiety as much as possible) or contact desensitization (in which the therapist would act as a model to teach how Act).

3. Rising Arrow Technique

This technique is basic in the treatment of most mental disorders, forming part of almost all cognitive-behavioral techniques. It's based on modifying the patient's thinking patterns through various methods, identifying one's own thought patterns and their influence on the patient's life and generating together with the patient more adaptive cognitive alternatives and functional.

This is achieved through a series of questions that seek to explore the reason for each answer that is given. to issues that are important or significant for the person, and that have to do with their reason for consultation. Thus, he asks himself about the meaning of those ideas and thoughts, until a point is reached where the person faces doubts such as: "why What have I assumed that I am like this? "," Why have I been behaving in this way? "," Why do I give so much importance to that experience?".

It is a technique used in the framework of cognitive restructuring, a method widely used to falsify patterns of thinking, and that aims to allow patients to let go of irrational and limiting beliefs, to adopt other more adaptive.

Thus, beliefs, attitudes and points of view are modified, all with the aim of making the person start to interpret things differently, on the one hand, and set different objectives and expectations, on the one hand other.

These modifications have the power to make new habits appear and that those routines that are not very useful or generating discomfort disappear. In this way, it is encouraged that the person himself is involved in contexts, initiatives, tasks with therapeutic potential, and to which he would not have been exposed had the old system of beliefs.

• You may be interested: "The Down Arrow Technique: What It Is and How It Is Used In Therapy"

4. Modeling techniques

Modeling is a type of technique in which an individual performs a behavior or interacts in a situation with the aim that the patient observe and learn a specific way of acting so that you are able to imitate it. It is intended that the observer modify the behavior and / or thought of it and provide them with tools to face certain situations.

There are different variants depending on whether or not the observer should replicate the behavior, the model dominates from the beginning of performing the desired behavior or has resources similar to the patient in such a way that an approximation to the objective is made, the number of people who act as a model or if the modeling is done live or through other means such as imagination or technology.

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5. Stress inoculation

This technique is based on preparing the subject to face possible stressful situations. It is intended first of all to help the patient to understand how stress can affect you and how you can cope, to later teach different cognitive and behavioral techniques such as the others reflected here and finally have them practice them in controlled situations that allow their generalization to life everyday.

The goal is for the person to get used to dealing with stressful situations in a rational way, without being blocked by her emotions.

Thus, stress inoculation is a kind of psychological training that modifies our reaction predispositions to stressful situations, allowing us to adopt a more appropriate pattern of behavior and not make us fall into self-fulfilling prophecy (in this case, the stress of anticipating the stress).

6. Self-instruction training

Created by Meichenbaum, self-instruction training is based on the role of self-instruction on behavior. These are the instructions with which you we guide our own behavior by indicating what and how we are going to do something, which are colored by expectations towards the results to be obtained or the efficacy itself.

Certain problems such as low self-esteem or perception of self-efficacy can cause the behavior to be impaired and cannot be carried out successfully or even avoided. This technique is intended to help the individual to be able to generate correct and realistic internal self-verbalizations that allow him to carry out the actions that he wishes to carry out.

The process happens because in the first place the therapist performs a modeling of the action to be carried out indicating the steps out loud. Later the patient will carry out this action from the instructions that the therapist will recite. Next, the patient himself will be the one to instruct himself out loud, then repeat the process in a low voice and finally through subvocal, internalized speech.

This technique can be used by itself, although it is frequently incorporated as part of other therapies dedicated to the treatment of different disorders such as depression or anxiety.

7. Problem solving training

Problem-solving training is a type of cognitive-behavioral treatment through which aims to help subjects to cope with certain situations that by themselves they are not capable of sort out.

In this type of technique, aspects such as the orientation towards the problem in question, the formulation of the problem, the generation of possible alternatives to solve it, are worked on. making a decision regarding the most appropriate and verification of its results. In short, it is about knowing how to approach complicated situations in the most constructive way possible, without getting carried away by fear and anxiety.

8. Operant techniques for behavior modification

Although of behavioral origin, these types of techniques are also part of the cognitive-behavioral repertoire. Through these types of techniques, it is fundamentally about causing a modification in behavior through stimulation.

They allow both to motivate and contribute to learning new behaviors and to reduce them or modify them by applying reinforcements or punishments. Within the operant techniques we can find shaping and chaining to enhance adaptive behaviors, reinforcement differential to reduce behaviors or change them for others and satiation, time jurisdiction or overcorrection as a way to modify or extinguish the behaviors.

9. Self-control techniques

The ability to self-manage is a fundamental element that allows us to be autonomous and adapt to the environment that surrounds us, keep our behavior and thoughts stable despite the circumstances and / or be able to modify them when it is necessary. However, many people have difficulties in adapting their behavior, expectations or way of thinking to reality in an adaptive way, which can cause different disorders.

Thus, self-control techniques are used to facilitate the learning of behavior patterns in which impulsivity is lessened by considering the future consequences that certain actions may entail.

Take a workout that strengthens self-control skills, as is achieved with Rehm's self-control therapy, it can be used to control problems of various kinds such as those produced in depressive and anxious processes.

10. Relaxation and breathing techniques

Physical and mental activation is an element of great importance when explaining problems such as anxiety and stress. The suffering caused by the presence of problems and difficulties can in part be reduced by relaxation techniques, learning from them to manage bodily sensations so that it can also help to manage the mind.

Within this group we find Jacobson's progressive relaxation, Schultz's autogenic training or breathing techniques.

Advantages of cognitive-behavioral techniques

Cognitive-behavioral techniques have shown a very high level of effectiveness in the treatment of various mental problems and disorders. Through them it is possible to modify the patient's behavior and contribute to the acquisition of life habits and more adaptive behavior, working and also modifying the cognitive base that induces the behaviors originals.

With this type of technique, the mind and behavior are stimulated, producing a clear improvement in a large number of cases. Its level of effectiveness is such that today it is considered the therapy of choice for most mental disorders.

Another great advantage of this type of technique is its adherence to the scientific method, with cognitive behavioral therapies, techniques and treatments being tested at an experimental level.

Disadvantages and limitations

Despite the great efficacy of these techniques in treating the symptoms of mental disorders and problems, cognitive-behavioral techniques they have a series of limitations which makes them not always effective.

In the first place, it highlights the fact that although they take into account the past when collecting information to understand the current problem, the techniques cognitive-behavioral focus on the here and now, not placing too much therapeutic emphasis on what has already happened that may have caused the behavior maladaptive.

While these techniques are very useful to treat the current symptom, For the most part, behind a mental disorder is a deep suffering produced by blockages or events experienced for a long time and that can end up generating the disorder. If the origin of this suffering is not treated and the patient is not able to cope with it, the disorder could reappear.

It also highlights the fact that these techniques as a general rule seek to eradicate what generates discomfort, but in the process it is not uncommon for rigid behaviors to be generated which in turn can cause other problems of adaptation.

In addition, some studies have shown that many patients feel that this type of therapy does not take into account their condition, feeling misunderstood and having cases of poor adherence to treatment and abandonment of this. For these reasons, other therapies such as third generation therapies and others from other paradigms have emerged.

Bibliographic references:

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• Kahn, J.S.; Kehle, T.J.; Jenson, W.R. and Clark, E. (1990). Comparison of cognitive-behavioral, relaxation, and self-modeling interventions for depression among middle-school students. School Psychology Review, 19, 196-211.
• McNamee, S. and Gergen, K.J. (nineteen ninety six). Therapy as social construction. Barcelona: Paidós.
• Olivares, J. And Méndez, F. X. (2008). Behavior Modification Techniques. Madrid: New Library.
• Vila, J. & Fernández, M.C. (2004). Psychological treatments. The experimental perspective. Madrid: Pyramid.