CBT
Science & Engineering abbreviation · Psychology
| Stands for | Cognitive behavioral therapy |
|---|---|
| Categories | Science & Engineering |
CBT stands for Cognitive behavioral therapy, a psychology abbreviation also used in medicine.
Structured, time-limited form of talk therapy that helps people identify and change unhelpful patterns of thinking and behavior. CBT is the best-studied psychotherapy and is recommended for depression, anxiety disorders, insomnia and many other conditions, typically over about 6 to 20 sessions.
Example: Her therapist used CBT to help her challenge catastrophic thoughts before presentations.
Usage notes
Psychiatrist Aaron Beck developed cognitive therapy in the 1960s, building on behavior therapy and Albert Ellis's rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) from the 1950s. Homework between sessions, such as thought records and behavioral experiments, is central. CBT is also delivered through books, apps and online programs, and CBT-I is a specific version for insomnia.
Related abbreviations
More psychology abbreviations
- 16PF – Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire
- ABA – Applied behavior analysis
- ACT – Acceptance and commitment therapy
- BAI – Beck Anxiety Inventory
- BDI – Beck Depression Inventory
- CFA – Confirmatory factor analysis
- CR – Conditioned response
- CS – Conditioned stimulus
- DBT – Dialectical behavior therapy
- DV – Dependent variable
- EI – Emotional intelligence
- ELM – Elaboration likelihood model