Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on the interactions between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. When used with children ages 6-12, CBT principles include developing a strong therapeutic relationship, collaborating with the child, focusing on problems and goals, using structured sessions, and teaching cognitive restructuring techniques. The goals of CBT are to modify problematic behaviors and thoughts, teach new skills, and improve relationships through an active, positive, and collaborative therapeutic approach tailored specifically for children.

1. Cognitive Behavior
Therapy & Children
Ages 6-12
Darshana Doshi

2. Core of CBT Theory
 It was developed by Dr. Aaron T. Beck
 Cognitive Therapy (CT) is an active, directive, structured,
collaborative, and psychoeducational model or brief
psychotherapy
 CBT is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on cognition-
thoughts and on behavior-your actions
 The interactions between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
are at the core of CBT
 Cognitive therapists look for patterns & connections among
events, thoughts, emotions, & behavior

3. Cognitive Therapy Concepts
 Collaborative empiricism is defined as the cooperative
working relationship focused on jointly determining goals and
seeking feedback
 Socratic dialogue is a type of questioning designed to
promote new learning
 Guided discovery is when the counselor coaches the child
through a voyage of self-discovery in which the child does
his/her own thinking & draws their own conclusions

4. Principles to Follow
Judith Beck (1995) outlined the principles to follow with CBT
 Base counseling methods on an ever-involving understanding
of the person & his or her problems in cognitive terms
 Build a strong therapeutic relationship
 Stress collaboration and active participation
 Be goal oriented and problem focused
 Try to be time-limited
 Structure Sessions
 Teach clients to name, evaluate, and respond to their
dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs
 Use a variety of techniques to change thinking, mood and
behavior

5. Cognitive Restructuring
 Thought identification and monitoring
 Linking thoughts, feelings, and behavior
 Challenging and changing distorted and dysfunctional
thoughts
 Learning alternative ways of coping with difficult situations

6. Goals of Therapy
 Modify patterns of behavior to alleviate presenting problem
 Restructure dysfunctional thoughts that impact relationships
 Teach clients new skills
 Communication skills
 Problem Solving
 Negotiation

7. Therapist Characteristics
The style of the therapist:
 ACTIVE
 POSITIVE
 COLLABORATIVE
 Therapists should aim to “teach in a playful way and play in a
way that teaches,” (Garralda & Hyde, 2003)

8. Cognitive Behavior Play Therapy
(CBPT)
Application of CBPT principles to play therapy
 Cognitive model of emotional disorders is based on the
interplay among cognition, emotions, behavior, and
physiology. The role of cognition must be carefully considered
for children, interventions are focused on absence of adaptive
thoughts & cognitive errors
 CBT is brief and time limited
 A sound therapeutic relationship is essential for CBPT
 It is structured and directive
 CBT uses primarily the Socratic method

9. References
 Garralda, M. E., & Hyde, C. (Eds.). (2003). Managing Children
with Psychiatric Problems (2nd ed.). London : BMJ Publishing
Group.
 Henderson, D. A., & Thompson, C. L. (2011). Counseling
Children (8th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage
Learning.
 O’Connor, K. J., & Schaefer, C. E. (Eds.). (1994). Handbook of
Play Therapy: Advances and Innovations Canada: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.