Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Interpersonal Psychotherapy Essay

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Interpersonal Psychotherapy - Essay Example This essay discusses two leading nursing theories, namely, (1) cognitive behavioral therapy and (2) interpersonal psychotherapy. The first section presents a separate discussion of these two nursing theories. The second section determines the similarities and differences between these two nursing theories in terms of major tenets, concepts, views, techniques, view of pathology/normality, etc. The third section discusses the relevance of these two nursing theories in nursing practice. The fourth section gives recommendations for advanced nursing practice in relation to interpersonal psychotherapy. The last part is the summary and conclusion of the entire paper. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Even a quick look at current literature in the discipline of child psychology suggests that the cognitive-behavioral theory has received significant empirical and clinical attention in recent times. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has been effectively used in a broad array of medical disorders ex perienced by children, adolescents, and adults, such as learning difficulties, eating disorders, anxiety, and depression. According to Abela and Hankin (2007), cognitive-behavioral therapy is highly recognized for its focus on factors that make individuals vulnerable to emotional and behavioral difficulties, for its emphasis on the importance and function of the social context/environment and family in the growth and continuation of these problems, for its focus on unspoken ideas about the self and how these could affect emotional and behavioral wellbeing, and for its attention to scientific/empirical assessment approaches to psychopathology and the usefulness of treatments or interventions obtained from them. Cognitive therapy is rooted in the idea that behavior is capable of adjusting and that there is a connection between a person’s behaviors, emotions, and thoughts. A primary focus in cognitive-behavioral therapy, especially with adolescents, is on having an accurate know ledge of an individual’s behavioral pattern and the associated perceptual and cognitive components (Abela & Hankin, 2007). Cognitions are defined as â€Å"an organized set of beliefs, attitudes, memories and expectations, along with a set of strategies for using this body of knowledge in an adaptive manner† (Reinecke, Dattilio, & Freeman, 2006, 3). Basically, cognitions denote an individual’s existing ideas or self-awareness, including expectations, values, objectives, attitudes, judgments, memories, and perceptions. It is crucial to take into account each of these factors when trying to understand and treat emotional and behavioral disorders. It is not possible, therefore, to differentiate the cognitive from the social. Cognitive processes are achieved, sustained, and operate in social environments. They are shaped and strengthened by parents, members of the family, and others in the immediate environment of the child, and play an adaptive role in structuring a nd controlling the child’s reactions to traumatic life episodes (Reinecke et al., 2006). This point of view is in agreement with