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Meaning & use

cognitive behavioral

adjective·Advancedtechnical

Last updated

UK/ˌkɒɡnətɪv bɪˈheɪvjərəl/
US/ˌkɑːɡnətɪv bɪˈheɪvjərəl/

Meanings

  1. adjectivebefore a nountechnical

    relating to a type of therapy that aims to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors

    Grammar: Used before a noun, especially in the phrase 'cognitive behavioral therapy'.

    Patterns

    • cognitive behavioral therapy
    • cognitive behavioral approach
    • cognitive behavioral treatment

    She found cognitive behavioral therapy helpful for her anxiety.

    The clinic offers cognitive behavioral treatment for insomnia.

    Many therapists use a cognitive behavioral approach to help patients change negative thinking patterns.

  2. adjectivebefore a nountechnical

    involving both mental processes and observable actions

    Grammar: Used in scientific contexts to describe research or models that study thinking and behavior together.

    Patterns

    • cognitive behavioral research
    • cognitive behavioral model
    • cognitive behavioral science

    The study used a cognitive behavioral model to explain how habits form.

    Cognitive behavioral research often combines brain imaging with observation of actions.

Common combinations

cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is often recommended for panic attacks.
cognitive behavioral therapist
She is seeing a cognitive behavioral therapist once a week.
cognitive behavioral approach
The school adopted a cognitive behavioral approach to reduce bullying.
cognitive behavioral treatment
Cognitive behavioral treatment can be as effective as medication for mild depression.

Synonyms and how they differ

CBT
The common abbreviation, used especially in medical contexts.
behavioral
Focuses only on actions, not on thoughts; 'cognitive behavioral' includes both.

Word family

cognition noun
The mental process of knowing, thinking, and understanding.
cognitive adjective
Relating to thinking and understanding.
behavior noun
The way a person or animal acts.

Commonly confused: cognitive behavioral or cognitive?

cognitive behavioral vs cognitive

Means 'relating to thinking' only; 'cognitive behavioral' includes both thinking and actions.

Practice

Which phrase is the standard name of a common therapy for anxiety and depression?

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