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What Research Shows

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) has been demonstrated in hundreds of studies to be an effective treatment for a variety of disorders and problems for adults, older adults, children and adolescents. Below is a list of disorders for which CBT is effective for, followed by sources.

ADULTS
Research has shown that CBT is effective for the following disorders and problems:
  • Depression
    • Geriatric Depression
    • Relapse Prevention
  • Anxiety
    • Generalized Anxiety Disorder
    • Geriatric Anxiety
    • Panic Disorder
    • Agoraphobia and Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia
    • Social Anxiety / Social Phobia
    • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
    • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Trauma)
    • Withdrawal from Anti-Anxiety Medications
    • Dental Phobia
  • Bipolar Disorder (in combination with medication)
  • Schizophrenia (in combination with medication)
  • Dissociative Disorders
  • Suicide attempts
  • Eating Disorders
    • Binge-eating disorder
    • Bulimia
    • Anorexia
  • Body Dysmorphic Disorder (extreme dissatisfaction with body image)
  • Somatization Disorder
  • Substance Abuse
    • Alcohol abuse
    • Cocaine abuse (CBT relapse prevention is effective)
    • Opiate Dependence
    • Smoking Cessation (Group CBT is effective, as well as CBT that has multiple treatment components, in combination with relapse prevention)
  • Gambling (in combination with medication)
  • Marital discord
  • Anger
  • Borderline Personality Disorder
  • Attention Deficit Disorder
  • Atypical sexual practices/sex offenders
  • Caregiver distress
  • Habit disorders
  • Seasonal Affective Disorder

    Medically related disorders:

  • Chronic pain (CBT, in combination with physical therapy, is effective for chronic pain in many medical conditions)
  • Chronic back pain
  • Migraine headaches
  • Non-cardiac chest pain
  • Cancer pain
  • Fatigue and functional impairments among cancer survivors
  • Sickle cell disease pain (CBT that has multiple treatment components is effective)
  • Physical complaints not explained by a medical condition (Somatoform disorders)
  • Somatization Disorder
  • Pain relating to a disease that has no known cause (Idiopathic pain)
  • Hypochondriasis, or the unsubstantiated belief that one has a serious medical condition
  • Irritable-bowel syndrome
  • Obesity (CBT is effective in combination with hypnosis)
  • Asthma with Coexisting Panic Disorder (in combination with asthma education)
  • Rheumatic disease pain (CBT that has multiple treatment components is effective)
  • Temporomandibular Disorder pain
  • Erectile dysfunction (CBT is effective for reducing sexual anxiety and improving communication)
  • Infertility (anovulation)
  • Sleep disorders
  • Geriatric sleep disorders
  • Insomnia
  • Vulvodynia (a chronic pain condition of the vulva)
  • Chronic fatigue syndrome
  • Pre-menstrual syndrome
  • Hypertension (CBT is effective as an adjunctive treatment)
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Colitis
  • Gulf War Syndrome
  • Tinnitus

CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
Research has shown that CBT is effective for the following disorders and problems:

  • Depression (among adolescents and depressive symptoms among children)
  • Anxiety disorders
    • Separation anxiety
    • Avoidant disorder
    • Overanxious disorder
    • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
    • Phobias
    • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Conduct disorder (oppositional defiant disorder)
  • Distress due to medical procedures (mainly for cancer)
  • Recurrent abdominal pain
  • Physical complaints not explained by a medical condition (Somatoform disorders)
  • Chronic pain
COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY IS ALSO USED FOR:
  • Stress
  • Low self-esteem
  • Relationship difficulties
  • Group therapy
  • Family therapy
  • Psychiatric Inpatients
  • Work problems & procrastination
  • Separation and Divorce
  • Grief and loss
  • Aging
Main Sources:
Butler, A.C., Chapman, J.E., Forman, E.M., & Beck, A.T. (2006). The empirical status of cognitive-behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Clinical Psychology Review, 26(1), 17-31.

Chambless, D.L., & Ollendick, T. H. (2001). Empirically Supported Psychological Interventions: Controversies and Evidence. Annu. Rev. Psychol, 52, 685-716.



Outcome Studies Sources (Organized by Disorder)


  
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