Timeline: Historical journey through the three generations of

cognitive behavioral therapies

Lina Marina Yepez Salazar

Paulina Patino Marin

Luis Amigó Catholic University

Faculty of Psychology and Social Sciences
Fundamentals of Cognitive Psychology
Luz Adriana Gil Echeverry
October 2020
 Introduction

This work aims to show the evolution of cognitive therapy, going through its
three generations; starting with the first generation which is characterized by the
extrapolation of learning principles to the clinic, having its beginnings between
1950 and 1960. Within this first generation, countries such as South Africa,
England and the United States stand out. It will then pass to the second
generation that begins in 1970, whose main characteristic will be its openness
towards cognitive and social aspects; At this moment in cognitive behavioral
therapy, Bandura will enter with his contributions, the emergence of the therapy
and its classifications. Finally, there is the third generation in which therapists
try to return to the origins in search of therapeutic alternatives, inferring new
developments in the psychology of learning and experimental psychology.
 TIMELINE

EVOLUTION OF THERAPY
COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL
First generation : The first generation is characterized by the extrapolation of learning
principles to the clinic. In this stage the therapist applies the regularities that emerge from basic
research to clinical problems. In this first stage correspond the groups from South Africa,
England and the United States that contributed to the emergence of cognitive therapy as a
clinical approach.

1950-1960

South Africa: The basis of his England: Maudsley group made United States : Skinner: rules out
research focuses on the work on up of Eyseck, Yates, Shapiro resorting to mediating emotional
experimental neuroses of carried out the practice of the constructs. It also distinguishes
Masserman (1943) and the work of principles of behavior therapy. two types of responses:
Hull (1943). Joseph Wolpe (1952- Later, another group appeared, responders and operants, giving
1958) Systematic desensitization made up of Gelder, Marks, way to two types of conditioning:
(SD). Learning process and Rachman and Meyer, who were Pavlovian conditioning and type R
competition of physiologically interested in the treatment of conditioning. Skinner is interested
antagonistic responses. neuroses, agoraphobias, tics, in operant behavior where he
Psychotherapy by reciprocal stuttering, among others; and for gives more relevance to what
inhibition (1958). them they used techniques such comes after the response. The
Jacobson (1938), however, also as exposure, successive method he developed to study
used assertive and sexual behaviors approximations or negative behavior was called experimental
as responses incompatible with practice. This group of researchers behavior.
anxiety. Lazarus collaborated in the became the most prestigious in
dissemination of SD in the USA Europe in clinical psychology and
(1961), various applications and the was the most characteristic of the
use of a greater diversity of mediational behaviorist approach.
responses incompatible with
anxiety, such as the technique of
emotional imagination.

second generation : The main characteristic of this generation will be its openness towards
cognitive and social aspects. At this stage, other sources from other fields enter and influence
it. Learning principles were too limited in explaining human behavior; Experimental, cognitive
and social psychology provide elements to explain human behavior.

1970।
Bandura: He proposes Emergence of cognitive therapy:
learning through observation 1- Human learning is not automatic or direct, but occurs through
(imitation), at the same time both cognitive and verbal variables in order to create the awareness,
adding the theory of social attention and expectations that were necessary for optimal learning.
learning, where he highlights 2- Dissatisfaction with the results obtained when applying
cognitive thought processes behavioral techniques to affect problems. Since for anxiety disorders
and human behavior. Divides (from the laboratory to the clinic) it was applied inversely to affective
the elements of learning into disorders (from the disorder to the laboratory).
vicarious conditioning and 3- Mediational behaviorism
principles of reciprocal 4- One of the contributions of cognitive psychology to cognitive
determinism therapy is the information processing model.

Classification of cognitive therapies:

1-Cognitive restructuring techniques: focuses on the identification and change of irrational

beliefs, distorted thoughts or negative self-verbalizations that determine the problem.
- - Techniques for managing situations: They teach the individual techniques to deal with
the problematic situations they face.
- - Problem-solving techniques: Used to correct the way the person uses to solve problems,
providing them with a systematic method to solve them. This group includes:
- D'Zurilla and Golfried's Problem Solving Therapy (1971), later renamed Social Problem
Solving Therapy (D'Zurilla and Nezu, 1982).
- Spivack and Shure's Interpersonal Problem Solving Therapy (1974) - - Mahoney's
Personal Science (1974).
- Neymeyer's Personal Construct Therapy (1986)
- Linehan's dialectical behavior therapy. It is aimed at facilitating appropriate forms of
emotional expression in people with deficits in that area. It takes as a reference the therapeutic
activity developed in the sessions with the psychologist and is aimed, essentially, at borderline
personality disorders. (1993)

Third generation (Meichenbaum) In this generation, therapists try to return to the origins in
search of therapeutic alternatives by inferring new developments in the psychology of learning
and experimental psychology. Its objective is to promote the relationship between basic
research and clinical application that had good results in the first generation. And they are
also influenced by the constructivist learning theory proposed by Mahoney.

1995
Current state of Cognitive Therapies:

Cognitive constructivist therapies

Metaphor of constructive narration : Human beings construct individual realities, create
their representations of the world, according to personal meanings.
Cognitive-structural therapy Guidano and Liotti. Its approach is rationalist, it enhances
cognitive activity, organisms create products from their environment. They perceive and act
by actively imposing unspoken rules; and products, these tacit rules are the result of social
and biological evolution, and their ontogenetic development (Feixas and Miró, 1993).
Cognitive-Constructivist Therapies It is based on the metaphor of constructivist narration
which says that human beings actively construct their reality, and that is where they create
their own representative model of the world. The therapist's role is to make the patient aware
of how he creates his reality and its possible consequences.
1995-1997- Mahoney Constructive Psychotherapy.

Contextual approach: These therapies focus on the importance of context for the
determination and explanation of behavior. Clinical behavior analysis (Dougher, 1993),
contextual approach (Hayes, Follette, & Follette, 1995), or contextual behaviorism (Hayes &
Hayes, 1992).
- Functional analytical psychotherapy by Kohlenberg and Tsai. Psychologist-patient
interaction. It is used to treat recurring or difficult-to-define problems such as personality
disorders.
- Function and commitment therapy by Hayes, Strosahl and Wilson. It is characterized by
trying to eliminate the control that thoughts and emotions have over behavior, thus trying to
give more importance to the external contingencies of behavior. (1999)
According to the text: Obando, L. and Parrado, F. (2015). First, second and third generation
behavioral approaches to a case of gambling addiction. Ibero-American Journal of
Psychology. Science and Technology. Q. (51-61). Retrieved on October 16, 2020 from:
https://reviberopsicologia.ibero.edu.co/article/download/650/723/

The advantages of First generation therapies are:

• The approach to the clinical field and the analysis of human behavior from behavioral
science, based on the principles of conditioning and learning. Q. (54).
• In 1960, applications of systematic desensitization and aversion therapy were
proposed for various maladaptive behaviors, and research manuals applied to
contexts such as education, work with parents, community work and mental hospitals
emerged. Q. (54).
• Applications emerge to various areas such as self-control, crime, university teaching,
sexual behaviors and development of different kinds of skills. Q. (54)
• There is already extensive application and research at the individual, institutional and
community level, as well as procedures on behavior modification (Kohlenberg,
Bolling, Kanter, & Parker, 2002; Martin & Pear, 2008). Q. (54).

The limitations are:

• The first wave therapies were not satisfactory for many when treating some
psychological problems, the functional analysis Stimulus-Response, or Stimulus-
Response-Consequence (Hanley, Iwata, & McCord, 2003), only had application on
specific or operationalizable behaviors and the criticisms Regarding its applicability to
more complex psychological problems (depression) were not long in coming, so the
assumption was included that the solution to these problems lies in the modification of
the subject's behavior and cognition. In turn, these difficulties are “linked to the fact
that none of these approaches offered an adequate empirical analysis of language
and human cognition” P. (54).

The advantages of second generation therapies are:

• They are characterized by the use of behavior modification techniques from cognition;
The interaction between cognitive structures, cognitive processes, behaviors and
environmental consequences is proposed, in such a way that the solution to the
problematic behavior or symptoms of each person is due to certain cognitive
dysfunctions. Q. (54).
• Beck postulates the cognitive theory and Ellis the Rational Emotive Behavioral
Therapy; Both share similar objectives: correct, deactivate, modify cognitive
processing errors, without completely leaving behavioral therapy aside, since it
continues to be a means to acquire information. Q. (54):
• From Cognitive Therapy, the aim is to evaluate the automatic thoughts that mediate
 or are related to behavior; By obtaining the above, the nuclear schema of the subject
can be established, which may be (handicap, impotence or helplessness) and thus a
therapeutic plan is proposed where not only behavioral modification is sought, but
also the deactivation of the (cognitive) schema, the emotional, physiological, social
and family responses. Q. (55).

The limitations are:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy has a strong impact on the psychological disorders of

the subjects, however, it presents limitations aimed at intervention, since it is evident
that the greatest effectiveness of these therapies is more related to behavior than to
cognition. Q. (55).
• It implies a contradiction with its assumptions, and, at the same time, a lack of
knowledge of the real role that direct intervention has on cognitive events. Numerous
questions remain open about the conditions that are effective, and conversely, when
and why they are not. Q. (55).
• The insufficiencies in the long-term effectiveness of second-generation therapies lead
to the emergence of therapies that move away from the behavioral approach due to
their eclectic nature, such as Young's schema therapies. Q. (55).

The advantages of third generation therapies are:

• In the same way, behavioral approaches evolved in the development of a new group
of contextual interventions that treat psychological problems from their verbal
contexts, where the person agrees to live with their thoughts and emotions to
generate new behavioral repertoires. Q. (56).
• Third-generation therapies consider the flexibility and complexity of the human being
as central axes, proposing change in the function of thought rather than its content as
an objective. Q. (56).
• The therapies contemplate the use of metaphors, experiential exercises and/or
paradoxes, which make the subject confront their reality.
• Thus, the intervention of this therapy is based on a process where the patient is first
questioned about what he has done to feel improvement and is made to see, before
making the commitment, how bad things have happened and the failure of his
methods to improve, thus placing him in a situation of hopelessness, explaining that
nothing he has done has helped him; this in order to break the structure from which it
was supported. Q. (56).
According to the text Ruíz, M. et al. (2012). Manual of cognitive behavioral intervention
techniques.

The limitations are:

• Lack of systematization: contextual therapies do not present highly systematized

 procedures, nor an intervention process with specific and detailed phases. Q. (78).
• These therapies have developed an intervention logic, but there are no technical
developments as such, but rather the use of techniques already available in
accordance with their approaches, fundamentally techniques based on exposure and
direct management of contingencies P. (78).
• It has been previously pointed out that in current Cognitive Behavioral Therapy there
seems to be a certain discrepancy between the theoretical postulates and clinical
practice in which criteria of pragmatism and technicality are imposed. P (78).
• The relationship between learning principles and contextual therapies is a post hoc
relationship, that is, inverse to the process that characterized the first generation of
CT where learning principles were discovered and clinical applications were
developed from them. This procedure does not have to be inappropriate, but it can
result in criticism when its principles seek (or demand) a return to the essence of the
first generation. Q. (79).

References:

• Ruiz, M. et al. (2012). Manual of cognitive behavioral intervention techniques 50 81.

• According to the text: Obando, L. and Parrado, F. (2015). First, second and third
generation behavioral approaches to a case of gambling addiction. Ibero-American
Journal of Psychology. Science and Technology. Q. (51-61). Retrieved on October
16, 2020 from: https://reviberopsicologia.ibero.edu.co/article/download/650/723/