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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Clinical Aspects and New Approaches

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A special issue of Journal of Clinical Medicine (ISSN 2077-0383). This special issue belongs to the section "Mental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2022) | Viewed by 14676

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Gemma Mestre-Bach

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Instituto de Salud Carlos IIICiber Fisiopatol Obesidad & Nutric CIBEROBN, Madrid, Spain
Interests: mental health; psychiatry; cognitive-behavioral therapy; addictions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As you are well aware, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is positioned as one of the therapies with the most empirical evidence for its effectiveness in the treatment of the majority of mental disorders. However, despite this solid evidence, there are still limitations in the current literature that justify the present Special Issue. In particular, studies focused on different clinical populations (e.g., adolescents, adults, understudied clinical populations, CBT for patients with comorbidities, CBT for different disorders, etc.) are still indispensable. They may allow us to identify predictors of treatment that allow for better defining the efficacy of this treatment and to personalize therapies based on the specific characteristics of patients. In addition, new techniques and treatments (e.g., new technologies, “third wave therapies”, etc.) that have emerged in recent years could be used to complement CBT and enhance its results, and this possibility has not yet been sufficiently explored.

Therefore, I would like to encourage you to submit articles for this Special Issue that serve as more empirical evidence for standard CBT in the treatment of different mental disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression, addictions, sexual disorders, etc.) and, also, on advances in treatments that could benefit standard CBT.

Dr. Gemma Mestre-Bach
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Clinical Medicine is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

mental health
mental disorders
cognitive behavioral therapy
treatment outcomes
efficacy
DSM-5

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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10 pages, 242 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Need to Control Thoughts in Eating Disorder Outpatients: A Longitudinal Study on Its Modification and Association with Eating Disorder Symptom Improvement

by Lucia Tecuta, Romana Schumann, Donatella Ballardini and Elena Tomba

J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11(8), 2205; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jcm11082205 - 14 Apr 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1744

Abstract

The metacognition of needing to control thoughts has been implicated in eating disorders (EDs)—specifically, in association with the drive for thinness and over-control. To date, it has yet to be investigated longitudinally in ED outpatients undergoing CBT-based treatment. The current study aims to examine whether endorsing a need to control thoughts undergoes modifications during CBT-based treatment for EDs and whether its modification correlates with treatment response in terms of reduced ED symptomatology. Seventy female ED outpatients (34 with AN, 29 with BN, 7 with OSFED) were assessed at baseline and at the end of treatment with the Metacognitions Questionnaire (MCQ), the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-40), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Post-treatment, significant reductions were observed in MCQ-need to control thoughts. Using hierarchical linear regression analyses such decreases significantly explained the variance in observed reductions in EAT-oral control and to a lesser extent, reductions in EAT-bulimia and food preoccupation and EAT-dieting. These results underscore the importance of metacognitive change in EDs and the potential utility of CBT-based treatment in its modification. Improving ED outcomes may warrant broadening the therapeutic target of over-control and a sense of loss of control beyond dysfunctional eating behaviors to include maladaptive metacognitions that concern the need to control thoughts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Clinical Aspects and New Approaches)

14 pages, 1262 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Delay Discounting in Gambling Disorder: Implications in Treatment Outcome

by Teresa Mena-Moreno, Giulia Testa, Gemma Mestre-Bach, Romina Miranda-Olivos, Rosario Granero, Fernando Fernández-Aranda, José M. Menchón and Susana Jiménez-Murcia

J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11(6), 1611; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jcm11061611 - 14 Mar 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2343

Abstract

Impulsive choice, measured by delay discounting (DD) tasks, has been shown in patients with gambling disorders (GD). However, the impact of DD and treatment outcome has been scarcely explored in GD patients. The aims of this study were: (1) to examine the baseline association between DD and clinical variables in GD patients depending on their age and gambling preferences (strategic vs. non-strategic); and (2) to estimate the predictive role of DD on poorer outcomes of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) when considering also the effect of other clinical variables. 133 treatment-seeking male GD patients were evaluated at baseline with a DD task and measures of GD severity, personality traits and psychopathology. Treatment outcome was measured in terms of dropout from CBT and relapses. Results showed baseline associations between DD and GD severity (correlation coefficient R = 0.408 among strategic gamblers and R = 0.279 among mixed gamblers) and between DD and positive/negative urgency (R = 0.330 for the youngest patients, R = 0.244 for middle age, and around R = 0.35 for gamblers who reported preferences for strategic games). Other personality traits such as high harm avoidance and low cooperativeness were also related to DD at baseline (R = 0.606 among strategic gamblers). Regarding treatment outcome, a steeper discount rate predicted a higher risk of relapses in strategic gamblers (odds ratio OR = 3.01) and middle-age ones (OR = 1.59), and a higher risk of dropout in younger gamblers (OR = 1.89), non-strategic gamblers (OR = 1.70) and mixed gamblers (R = 4.74). GD severity mediated the associations between age, DD, personality traits and poor CBT outcome. In conclusion, impulsive choice affects treatment response in individuals with GD and may interfere with it to a significant extent. Considering DD in GD, patients seeking treatment could help control its impact on treatment adherence and relapses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Clinical Aspects and New Approaches)

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13 pages, 618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Relation between Negative Automatic Thoughts and Psychological Inflexibility in Schizophrenia

by Cosmin O. Popa, Adrian V. Rus, Wesley C. Lee, Cristiana Cojocaru, Alina Schenk, Vitalie Văcăraș, Peter Olah, Simona Mureșan, Simona Szasz and Cristina Bredicean

J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11(3), 871; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jcm11030871 - 07 Feb 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2364

Abstract

Background: Schizophrenia is one of the most severe disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) spectrum. Negative automatic thoughts (NAT), cognitive fusion (CF), and experiential avoidance (EA), as part of psychological inflexibility (PI), can be considered important dysfunctional cognitive processes in schizophrenia. Methods: In the present study, two samples were included: a target group consisting of 41 people with schizophrenia (23 females; aged 44.98 ± 11.74), and a control group consisting of 40 individuals with end-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) (27 males; aged 60.38 ± 9.14). Results: Differences were found between the two groups, with patients with schizophrenia showing an increased frequency of NAT, as well as higher levels of CF and EA (psychological inflexibility), compared to the control group. NAT were the mediator in the relation between the schizophrenia diagnosis and CF, as well as EA. Conclusion: Individuals with schizophrenia present a specific dysfunctional pattern of cognitive functioning, in which negative automatic thoughts represent a distinctive pathway to cognitive fusion and experiential avoidance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Clinical Aspects and New Approaches)

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Review

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13 pages, 287 KiB

Open AccessReview

Behavioral Therapies for Treating Female Sexual Dysfunctions: A State-of-the-Art Review

by Gemma Mestre-Bach, Gretchen R. Blycker and Marc N. Potenza

J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11(10), 2794; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jcm11102794 - 16 May 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5657

Abstract

Many possible factors impact sexual wellbeing for women across the lifespan, and holistic approaches are being utilized to promote health and to address sexual concerns. Female sexual dysfunction disorders, including female orgasmic disorder, female sexual interest/arousal disorder and genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder, negatively impact quality of life for many women. To reduce distress and improve sexual functioning, numerous behavioral therapies have been tested to date. Here, we present a state-of-the-art review of behavioral therapies for female sexual dysfunction disorders, focusing on empirically validated approaches. Multiple psychotherapies have varying degrees of support, with cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based therapies arguably having the most empirical support. Nonetheless, several limitations exist of the studies conducted to date, including the frequent grouping together of multiple types of sexual dysfunctions in randomized clinical trials. Thus, additional research is needed to advance treatment development for female sexual dysfunctions and to promote female sexual health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Clinical Aspects and New Approaches)

14 pages, 396 KiB

Open AccessReview

All I Need Is Two: The Clinical Potential of Adding Evaluative Pairing Procedures to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Changing Self-, Body- and Food-Related Evaluations

by Georg Halbeisen and Georgios Paslakis

J. Clin. Med. 2021, 10(20), 4703; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/jcm10204703 - 14 Oct 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1694

Abstract

Pairing procedures are among the most frequently used paradigms for modifying evaluations of target stimuli related to oneself, an object, or a specific situation due to their repeated pairing with evaluative sources, such as positive or negative images or words. Because altered patterns of evaluations can be linked to the emergence and maintenance of disordered cognitions and behaviors, it has been suggested that pairing procedures may provide a simple yet effective means of complementing more complex intervention approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Here, we summarize recent studies that explored the clinical potential of pairing procedures for improving self-esteem, body satisfaction, and food and consumption preferences. While no study has yet combined pairing procedures with CBT, there are several successful examples of pairing procedures in clinically relevant domains and clinical populations. We discuss potential sources of heterogeneity among findings, provide methodological recommendations, and conclude that pairing procedures may bear clinical potential as an add-on to classical psychotherapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Clinical Aspects and New Approaches)

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