Edward Thorndike was among the first researchers who discovered that punishment and reward for behavior evoke learning. An individual responds to conditions based on the expected outcomes. According to Instrumental conditioning, a behavior associated with an awful consequence is likely not to be repeated while a behavior linked to a good result has a higher probability of being repeated. Human behavior is also learned through imitation as illustrated by the social cognitive theory. The instrumental conditioning and social cognitive theory relate in that; it is assumed that people imitate others because they are reinforced to do so (Ormrod, 2016). Excessive exposure to stressful conditions like substances, family illnesses among other harmful enforcers may lead to a person contracting anxiety disorders. Therapy has been found out to be the most effective mode of anxiety disorder treatment.
Research Background
Fear and anxiety are emotions natural to human behavior. According to research, anxiety disorders are more common in children and adolescents accounting for a rate of not less than 24.9% (Davis, Souza, Rigatti, " Heldt, 2014). The diseases if not treated early are chronic and poses adverse effects on the victim at old age. CBT is a combination of several techniques customized depending on the disorder it is meant to treat. There are different forms of anxiety disorders including but not limited to social anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, panic disorder, generalized disorder among others. The central goal of the therapy is to map out the irrational thoughts and beliefs patterns replacing them with different and realistic views.
Methods
In a research conducted by Davis, Souza, Rigatti, " Heldt, (2014), cohort studies concerning CBT in anxiety disorders children and adolescents was conducted. During the search process, some of the critical terms used included cognitive behavioral therapy and anxiety disorders. The search criteria were carried out in two different databases where articles represented in more than one search were only analyzed once.
Results and Discussions
The cognitive methods help to lessen the anxiety in groups and interpersonal relationships giving a victim a feeling of control over their anxiety. The cognitive method changes the beliefs a person holds about the environment leading to a long-term improvement in anxiety symptoms. One of the critical problems that CBT target are negative thoughts. Persons suffering from anxiety disorders; particularly social anxiety disorders often develop unhelpful forms of thinking (Ormrod, 2016). For example, a person who fears public speaking possess negative thoughts of incompetent performance provoking a feeling of potential embarrassment. Avoiding the negative thinking, however, takes time and requires both repetition patience and practice which replaces the neural pathways in the brain making a person to feel and think differently.
Behavioral methods are also employed in cognitive behavioral therapy to treat anxiety disorders. The process takes the form of systematic desensitization that relates to the exposure to training. The exposure to training form of anxiety disorder treatment is prolonged and gradual and entails exposure to anxiety-provoking stimuli. However, if the exposure is not well structured, the therapy may end up causing more harm than good to the patient (Ormrod, 2016). With the help of a therapist, a person is exposed to feared situations. With time, the conditions desist from invoking fear. For example, a person who fears public speaking may seek exposure through speech giving imaginations. In conclusion, CBT has been found out to treat different types of anxiety disorders effectively. The therapy involves a reversed learning exposure to delink the previously learned, acquired or imitated behavior with the response mechanism of a person. CBT is, however, a process that requires commitment, and time.
References
Davis, R., Souza, M. A. M. D., Rigatti, R., " Heldt, E. (2014). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents: a systematic review of follow-up studies. Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria, 63(4), 373-378.
Ormrod, J. E. (2016). Human learning (7th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall.
