Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: The Gold Standard of Psychotherapy - Article Analysis Essay

David, D., Cristea, I., & Hofmann, S. G. (2018). Why cognitive behavioral therapy is the current gold standard of psychotherapy. Frontiers in psychiatry, 9, 4. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5797481/

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The study seeks to ascertain the fact that cognitive-behavioral therapy is superior compared to other theories in the field of psychological counseling. The of the controversial elements that the study aims to make clear are the recent claims that have argued questioning the status of cognitive-behavioral therapy as the gold standard in psychotherapy. Such studies have challenged the prominence of CBT status among practitioners and academic programs (David, Cristea, & Hofmann, 2018). The paper argues that cognitive-behavioral is the gold standard treatment method for psychotherapy. CBT has been confirmed to be the most effective form method for intervening human mind and behavior.The term modern CBT is also described in the article, and it is defined by the authors as an umbrella term of treatments that are empirically supported for clearly defined psychopathologies targeted with specific strategies of treatment. CBT has more recently been incorporated a more process-based or trans-diagnostic and personalized approach, with the final goal to link the therapeutic techniques to an individual client presence. Clinical trials that traditionally examined CBT efficacy include placebo conditions, waitlist control, treatment as usual, as well as other alternative forms of treatment that include pharmacotherapies and psychodynamic therapies (David, Cristea, & Hofmann, 2018).

Secondary data was used in the study, and a comparison done between CBT and other therapies such as the use of pills and psychological control. The research participants used by the authors of the secondary sources included those with anxiety and depression. About 34 trials on depression and 25 trials for anxiety which are 54% and 20% respectively, met the criteria for a strong comparison (David, Cristea, & Hofmann, 2018). According to the authors of this journal, cognitive behavioral therapy was the first psychotherapy form tested using the strictest criteria which included active comparator and randomized trials, among other evidence-based frameworks used in the field of health.

Since CBT has clear research support, it dominates the international psychosocial treatment guidelines, and this has enabled it to be in the front line in terms of its usage in the treatment of several disorders (David, Cristea, & Hofmann, 2018). Such findings have been confirmed by many bodies, and one of the most reliable bodies that have confirmed the dominant use of CBT is psychosocial and other disorders is the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's guidelines and American Psychological Association.it is, therefore, appropriate to conclude that CBT is the gold standard in the field of psychotherapy, with its inclusion in major clinical guidelines (David, Cristea, & Hofmann, 2018). This is as opposed to some political reasons as some colleagues try to argue out, but out of clear standards that have been measured and ascertained through scientific studies and professional applications.

However, despite all that fact of CBT efficiency, there is still a need to factor in some contributions since there are cases where patients do not make positive improvements to CBT interventions. Whereas there have been changes in many non-CBT psychotherapies since they got created, CBT has been maintained and it is evolving psychotherapy based on a progressive research program. The study, therefore, predicts that continued improvements in the field of psychotherapy will be attributed to psychotherapy (David, Cristea, & Hofmann, 2018). As a result, the therapy is gradually moving the field towards scientific psychotherapy that is integrated.