3. The Second Wave

About this Lecture

Lecture

In this lecture, we think about the second wave of cognitive and behavioural psychotherapies, focusing in particular on: (i) Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis as key figures in the development of cognitive therapies; (ii) Ellis’ ABC model, comprising of an activating event, beliefs and consequences; (iii) an example of this process wherein failing a driving test is the activating event, which can have dramatically differing consequences based on the beliefs born out of that event; (iv) the cognitive model of depression, which comprises of core schema and negative thoughts about the self, the world and the future; (v) selective abstraction and overgeneralisation as biases which can confirm core schema; (vi) the attempts that are made in CBT to review cognitive errors which might have led to negative thoughts, as well as looking at evidence relating to those thoughts; (vii) the behavioural element of CBT involving the recording of activities done and not done, adapting those activities which bring about positive mood, and avoiding activities less often; (viii) research which has found that the addition of the cognitive element of CBT over and above the behavioural element has little additional benefit for individuals with depression.

Course

In this course, Dr Helen Bolderston (Bournemouth University) explores the three waves of cognitive and behavioural psychotherapy. In the first lecture, we think about the origins of cognitive therapy and behaviourist theory. In the second lecture, we think about the first wave of cognitive and behavioural psychotherapy, which focused on behaviourist views of learning and unlearning associations. In the third lecture, we think about the second wave of psychotherapies, which centred around cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Next, we think about the third wave of psychotherapies which aims to improve upon CBT by including mindfulness and acceptance. In the fifth and final lecture, we think about the real-world implications of the current state of third wave therapies.

Lecturer

Dr Helen Bolderston is a senior lecturer in psychology in the Department of Psychology at Bournemouth University. Dr Bolderston’s research interests lie in acceptance-based psychotherapies, processes implicated in the development and maintenance of mental health problems, and psychological wellbeing and burnout in health and social care students and professionals. Some of Dr Bolderston’s recent publications include 'Cognitive fusion as a candidate psychological vulnerability factor for psychosis: An experimental study of acute 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) intoxication' (2021) and 'Resilience and surgeons: train the individual or change the system?' (2020).