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Chapter 2 - The Supporting Theory of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

from Part I - An Overview of the Model

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 November 2025

Jessica Davies ,
Paul Salkovskis  and
Kenneth Laidlaw
Foreword by
Judith S. Beck
Jessica Davies
Affiliation:
University of Exeter
Paul Salkovskis
Affiliation:
Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust & University of Oxford
Kenneth Laidlaw
Affiliation:
University of Exeter
Judith S. Beck
Affiliation:
Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy & University of Pennsylvania
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Summary

This chapter acts as a clear guide to your theoretical understanding of CBT to enhance your knowledge across protocols, clinical populations and clinical presentations.

You will gain a working knowledge of the theoretical basis of Beck’s model CBT and how theories and models remain important for advancing clinical practice.

You will be able to more effectively apply CBT across protocols as you will have a better elaborated account of how this therapy has integrated elements across conditions and client presentations.

You will become knowledgeable about the theoretical mechanism of change in CBT

You will become more skilled in using theoretical principles of CBT to stay true to execution of treatment protocols.

Keywords

CBTBTBATheoryStress-Diathesis

Information

Type
Chapter
Information
Cambridge Guide to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) , pp. 10 - 21
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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References

Further Reading

The following sources provide more in-depth coverage of topics raised in this chapter.

Relatively recent papers by Beck summarising CBT theory and models:

The authoritative text summarising the theoretical basis for CBT presented definitively in Beck’s own words. A must-read book for all CBT therapists.

Beck, , & Haigh, E.A.P. (2014). Advances in cognitive theory and therapy: The generic cognitive model. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 10, 1–24.10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032813-153734CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beck, A. T. & Bredemeier, K. (2016). A unified model of depression: Integrating clinical, cognitive, biological, and evolutionary perspectives. Clinical Psychological Science, 4(4), 596–619.10.1177/2167702616628523CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beck, A. T. & Dozois, A. J. A. (2011). Cognitive therapy: Current status and future directions. Annual Review of Medicine, 62, 397–409.10.1146/annurev-med-052209-100032CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clark, D. A., & Beck, A. T. (1999). Scientific foundations of cognitive theory and therapy of depression. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Joormann, J. & Tanovic, E. (2015). Cognitive vulnerability to depression: examining cognitive control and emotion regulation. Current Opinion in Psychology, 4, 86–92.10.1016/j.copsyc.2014.12.006CrossRefGoogle Scholar

References

David, D., Cristea, I., & Hofmann, S. G. (2018). Why cognitive behavioral therapy is the current gold standard of psychotherapy. Frontiers Psychiatry, 9, 4.10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00004CrossRefGoogle Scholar
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Beck, A. T., & Bredemeier, K. (2016). A unified model of depression: Integrating clinical, cognitive, biological, and evolutionary perspectives. Clinical Psychological Science, 4(4), 596–619.10.1177/2167702616628523CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beck, A. T., & Dozois, D. J. (2011). Cognitive therapy: Current status and future directions. Annual Review of Medicine, 62, 397–409.10.1146/annurev-med-052209-100032CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lorenzo-Luaces, L., Keefe, J., & DeRubeis, R. J. (2016). Cognitive-behavioral therapy: Nature and relation to non-cognitive behavioral therapy. Behavior Therapy, 47(6), 785–803.10.1016/j.beth.2016.02.012CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lewin, K. (1952). Field theory in social science: Selected theoretical papers by Kurt Lewin. London, UK: Tavistock.Google Scholar
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Clark, D. M. (1986). A cognitive approach to panic. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 24(4), 461–470.10.1016/0005-7967(86)90011-2CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Barlow, D. H., Allen, L. B., & Choate, M. L. (2016). Toward a unified treatment for emotional disorders. Behaviour Therapy, 47, 838–853.10.1016/j.beth.2016.11.005CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clark, D. A., & Beck, A. T. (1999). Scientific foundations of cognitive theory and therapy of depression. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Ingram, R. E., Miranda, J., & Segal, Z. V. (1998). Cognitive vulnerability to depression. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
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Power, M. J. (2010). Emotion-focused cognitive therapy. London: Wiley-Blackwell.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, R.T. & Alloy, L.B. (2010). Stress generation in depression: A systematic review of the empirical literature and recommendations for future study. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(5), 582–593.10.1016/j.cpr.2010.04.010CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hammen, C. (2006). Stress generation in depression: Reflections on origins, research and future directions. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(9), 1065–1082.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beck, A. T., & Haigh, E. A. P. (2014). Advances in cognitive theory and therapy: The generic cognitive model. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 10, 1–24.10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032813-153734CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond. 2nd ed. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Liu, R. T., Kleiman, E. M., Nestor, B. A., & Cheek, S. M. (2015). The hopelessness theory of depression: A quarter century in review. Clinical Psychology, 22(4), 345–365.Google ScholarPubMed
Beck, A. T. (1970). Cognitive therapy: Nature and relation to behavior therapy. Behavior Therapy, 1, 184–200.10.1016/S0005-7894(70)80030-2CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Joormann, J., & Gotlib, I. H. (2010). Emotion regulation in depression: relation to cognitive inhibition. Cognition and Emotion, 24, 281–298.10.1080/02699930903407948CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Davis, D. J. A., & Rnic, K. (2015). Core beliefs and self-schematic structure in depression. Current Opinion in Psychology, 4, 98–103.Google Scholar

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