Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Success of this Model with Current Agencies

The theoretical model that I chose is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Many
agencies in the U.S. use cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to treat post-traumatic stress
disorder that results from past battering. One of them is Cognitive Institute for Cognitive
Therapy in Washington, D.C. The agency uses cognitive behavioral therapy to treat a number
of conditions that include depression, phobias, anger, social anxiety, and posttraumatic stress
disorder. According to the agency, cognitive behavioral therapy has been effective in treating
all of these conditions. Another agency that uses CBT to treat various conditions, including
people suffering from the effects of violence that they experienced in the past is Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy Los Angeles. The agency uses CBT to treat a number of conditions that
include posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety.

Sources Supporting Efficacy of CBT

Various studies have found the CBT model to be effective in treating victims of
violent traumatic experiences. Habigzang et al. (2018) sought to determine the effectiveness
of CBT in helping women suffering various conditions resulting from sexual, physical, and
psychological violence perpetrated by their partners. The conditions included post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), stress, depression, and anxiety. The intervention protocols included
gradual exposure to traumatic memories and cognitive restructuring. The study’s results
showed significant reduction in the severity of all of these conditions. These results prove
that cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in treating conditions resulting from past
experiences of violence, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

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Another study that supports the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy was
conducted by Eckhardt et al. (2013). The study examined various programs that used
cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to treat its clients/patients. The programs that relate to
battered mind victims are two. Both of them dealt with victims (all women) who had
experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). The first program was called Cognitive Trauma
Therapy for Battered Women (CTT-BW). This program dealt with women who had been
battered in their previous abusive relationships. Upon using CBT methods on these women, it
was found that they showed a significant reduction in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms
and diagnosis. There was also significant reduction in trauma-related guilt and depressive
symptoms (Eckhardt et al., 2013).

The second program was called Helping to Overcome PTSD through Empowerment
(HOPE). Victims under HOPE program had experienced even more severe cases of battering
in their previous abusive relationships and were then in shelter. Like it was in the case of
CTT-BW program, victims in the HOPE program showed substantial reduction in depression
and PTSD symptoms (Eckhardt et al., 2013). Thus, both CTT-BW and HOPE proved that
cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in treating victims who were suffering from
the emotional and psychological effects battering that they experienced while in abusive
relationships.

Why CBT is Better than Other Service Approaches

CBT is better than other approaches such as psychotherapy for various reasons. First,
the approach leads to lasting gains. Once a person completes the required sessions, the
improvements that they experience usually remain for a long time. For instance, studies have
shown that gains experienced through CBT can last up to 18 months after the treatment
(Habigzang et al., 2018). Another benefit of CBT is its ability to produce quick results. Some

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patients experience sudden gains once they begin therapy sessions (Habigzang et al., 2018).
The gains can then be maintained throughout the period of the therapy sessions.

Conclusion

The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy can be seen in the agencies that use
it to treat patients and studies that have been carried out to determine its efficacy. Many
agencies offering treatment services to victims of abuse have shown that CBT is an effective
treatment approach. Various studies have also supported the efficacy of CBT.

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References

Eckhardt, C. I., Murphy, C. M., Whitaker, D. J., Sprunger, J., Dykstra, R., & Woodard, K.
(2013). The effectiveness of intervention programs for perpetrators and victims of
intimate partner violence. Partner abuse, 4(2), 196-231.

Habigzang, L. F., Aimèe Schneider, J., Petroli Frizzo, R., & Pinto Pizarro de Freitas, C.
(2018). Evaluation of the impact of a cognitive-behavioral intervention for women in
domestic violence situations in Brazil. Universitas Psychologica, 17(3), 52-62.