Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Strengths

Strengths and Weaknesses There are numerous benefits to using cognitive behavioral therapy to treat ADHD. First, as we discussed earlier, cognitive behavioral therapy does not have the risks of undesirable side effects like psychotropic medication. Second, the coping skills taught to the client during therapy can be used long after therapy has been terminated, unlike medication that needs to be continually administered to treat ADHD symptoms. Another benefit is that cognitive behavioral therapy is a closed-end treatment plan unlike traditional therapy. The average number of cognitive behavioral therapy sessions needed is approximately sixteen (Albin & Bailey, 2014, p10). Another benefit is that cognitive behavioral therapy techniques
This brings us to the most crucial disadvantage to using cognitive behavioral therapy, the risk of it being a temporary correction. If the therapy techniques, particularly reinforcements, are not done correctly, then there is a probability that the new behaviors will become extinct over time once the reinforcements are removed (Hergenhahn & Olson, 2005, pp.80-81). For some clients, the attention from the therapist could become a reinforcement of sorts. Once the client reaches the therapeutic goal, therapy reaches the termination stage. Since therapy, or more so attention from the therapist, had become reinforcement, then termination is not an achievement but a form of negative punishment. Essentially, the client’s desired behaviors are punished by the removal of a desired stimulus. To regain the desired stimulus of therapy, the client might revert back to undesired behaviors (Hergenhahn & Olson, 2005, pp.86-91). As with any form of counseling, therapists need to be careful not to accidentally reinforce incorrect behaviors and to keep watch for clients developing unhealthy emotional boundaries.