Table 1.

The General Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Model

Etiological Theory	Techniques & Strategies	Mechanism of Action	Desired Outcomes
Psychopathology is the result of faulty information processing Distorted and dysfunctional cognitions produce negative affective states and maladaptive behaviors Each disorder is characterized by different, but predictable patterns of information processing distortions	Active, goal-oriented, problem-solving approach Therapist and patient engage in “collaborative empiricism” Identify, evaluate, modify, and replace distorted with more accurate and adaptive cognitions Behavioral experiments used to test out distorted predictions and correct them Other “classic” behavioral techniques included as part of the treatment (e.g., exposure to feared stimuli)	Correcting distorted cognitions produces improvements in affect and behavior	Initial symptomatic improvement Later functional improvement

Adapted from Forman and Herbert [9].