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Does CBT Facilitate Emotional Processing?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 March 2011

Roger Baker ,
Matthew Owens ,
Sarah Thomas ,
Anna Whittlesea ,
Gareth Abbey ,
Phil Gower ,
Lara Tosunlar ,
Eimear Corrigan  and
Peter W. Thomas
Roger Baker*
Affiliation:
Dorset Research and Development Support Unit, Bournemouth University, UK
Matthew Owens
Affiliation:
St Ann's Hospital, Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust, Poole, UK
Sarah Thomas
Affiliation:
Dorset Research and Development Support Unit, Bournemouth University, UK
Anna Whittlesea
Affiliation:
St Ann's Hospital, Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust, Poole, UK
Gareth Abbey
Affiliation:
St Ann's Hospital, Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust, Poole, UK
Phil Gower
Affiliation:
St Ann's Hospital, Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust, Poole, UK
Lara Tosunlar
Affiliation:
St Ann's Hospital, Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust, Poole, UK
Eimear Corrigan
Affiliation:
St Ann's Hospital, Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust, Poole, UK
Peter W. Thomas
Affiliation:
Dorset Research and Development Support Unit, Bournemouth University, UK
*
Reprint requests to Roger Baker, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Research and Development Support Unit, Royal London House, Bournemouth University, Christchurch Road, Bournemouth BH1 3LT, UK E-mail: rbaker@bournemouth.ac.uk
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Abstract

Background: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is not primarily conceptualized as operating via affective processes. However, there is growing recognition that emotional processing plays an important role during the course of therapy. Aims: The Emotional Processing Scale was developed as a clinical and research tool to measure emotional processing deficits and the process of emotional change during therapy. Method: Fifty-five patients receiving CBT were given measures of emotional functioning (Toronto Alexithymia Scale [TAS-20]; Emotional Processing Scale [EPS-38]) and psychological symptoms (Brief Symptom Inventory [BSI]) pre- and post-therapy. In addition, the EPS-38 was administered to a sample of 173 healthy individuals. Results: Initially, the patient group exhibited elevated emotional processing scores compared to the healthy group, but after therapy, these scores decreased and approached those of the healthy group. Conclusions: This suggests that therapy ostensibly designed to reduce psychiatric symptoms via cognitive processes may also facilitate emotional processing. The Emotional Processing Scale demonstrated sensitivity to changes in alexithymia and psychiatric symptom severity, and may provide a valid and reliable means of assessing change during therapy.

Keywords

Emotional processingcognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)emotiondepressionanxietyscale
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 40 , Issue 1 , January 2012 , pp. 19 - 37
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2011

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