Which therapy aims to help clients understand and modify thinking patterns while also changing behavior, often abbreviated as CBT?

• A. Group therapy
• B. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• C. Aversive conditioning
• D. Virtual reality exposure therapy

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is how a therapy blends changing thoughts with changing behavior. This approach focuses on identifying and modifying unhelpful or distorted thinking while teaching concrete behavioral strategies to alter how a person acts. By recognizing automatic thoughts, testing their accuracy, and replacing them with more balanced ideas, clients can reduce distress. At the same time, they practice new behaviors or skills—like exposure to feared situations, behavioral activation, or coping techniques—that reinforce the new way of thinking and help symptoms improve. For example, someone who fears social events learns to challenge thoughts like “I’ll embarrass myself,” and gradually participates in social activities, using planned steps and homework to build confidence. Other options don’t capture this dual focus: some are groups-based rather than targeting cognition and behavior; some rely on punishment to reduce behaviors; and some are specific techniques (like immersive exposure) used within a broader cognitive-behavioral framework, not the defining approach itself.