A Science of Cognitive Therapy - Research Paper Example

PSYCHOTHERAPY AS A SCIENCE Psychotherapy refers to the therapeutic treatment of patients, using different techniques. This treatment mostly refers to psychological problems involving mental health of the patients, using verbal or non-verbal means of communication. Psychotherapy is an umbrella term for many different kinds of therapies, including dance/movement therapy, music therapy, counseling psychology, mental health counseling, rehabilitation counseling etc. Cognitive therapy focuses on the strong emotions that we have. According to Albert Ellis, strong emotions result from the relationship between the events and the expectations of individuals. Cognitive therapy tends to loosen this relationship, and makes the emotional beliefs less extreme. Sigmund Freud wanted psychoanalysis to become a science and many people who enter this field strive for it. But has psychotherapy become a science, is it in a process of becoming, or is it something else entirely? These are some of the questions that philosophers and psychologists are asking continuously. Traditionally it was viewed that science progresses by falsification i.e. it does not add new truths but disregards old conceptions as being false. “The criterion of the scientific status of a theory is its falsifiability, or refutability, or testability.” (Popper, Critical Rationalism, 36). The scientifity of science depends on the degree of falsification. Kuhn rejects this traditional and Popperian view. In his view, science develops due to increased commitment of the scientific community towards their held-beliefs and values, and even metaphysics. This commitment, Kuhn has called as ‘disciplinary matrix’ (1970a, 182). ‘Normal science’ according to Kuhn, is when research is done on the basis of the past experiences, or achievements and when the past research provides the foundation for further research. (1970, p.10) "The successive transition from one paradigm to another via revolution is the usual developmental pattern of mature science." (Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolution, p.12). Kuhn has given some examples of paradigm. He wrote Aristotle's analysis of motion, and Ptolemy's computations of plantery positions as paradigms. Kuhn has also described great texts as paradigm, mainly because they not only contain key theories and laws, but also their applications in solving various problems. ((Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolution) Kuhn’s 1970 model provides for the individual’s own identity development and the changes involved in psychotherapy. According to Kuhn, during scientific developments, the accumulation of the new data arises some abnormalities in the subject. To solve these, either the new facts need to be brought under the existing paradigm, or a new paradigm must be developed to accumulate them. Kuhn rejects the idea that science moves nearer to the truth through the achievements of new facts. In fact, Kuhn describes three stages of science: (1) Prenormal science, (2) Normal Science, (3) Extraordinary Science. In the prenormal stage of science, no specific pattern exists. There are no pre-supposed views or research regarding any development or achievement. In other words, there is no paradigm, which would serve as a basis. Then as research proceeds, science develops some facts and views, which succeed in gaining consensus among the scientific community, thus a paradigm is formed. A general perception of what something is and everything related to it. This stage is known as the normal science. Once a paradigm is formed, it provides the basis for further research and development continues and results could be predicted. The scientific community works with consensus to answer the questions that arise during the research, and also regarding the research methodologies that are being used. During this stage, new facts keep on adding to the old ones and knowledge swells. In the stage of extraordinary science, “however, science exists in a state of crisis.” (Scrimali, Grimaldi, Cognitive Psychotherapy Towards a New Millennium, p.165). Important inconsistencies occur during this phase. These enigmas are not solved by the current existing theories and accepted techniques. The scientific community, then try to adopt every possible means of solving these dilemmas by “suspending the rules” (p.165). When the scientists are finally able to explain all the new knowledge along with the old information, and that also in a new way, a new paradigm is formed. Kuhn describes science as dynamic, ever-changing, transforming. Similarly, the process of self-development is also dynamic. The emergence of a problem within one’s self, gives the opportunity to better understand itself. The problems could be related to the psychological disorders, or less severe like depression, or anxiety. Only when the problem is solved, can equilibrium be achieved. Psychotherapy is one way of solving the crisis and bringing one’s self back to normality. These solutions also help the individual attain new knowledge regarding its capabilities and provide insights into his own self. (Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolution). Psychotherapy is complex. It could involve several aspects of treatment, which could include clinical methods like those of treating a disease, or more novels such as music, dance or art, to help a person cope better with his/her problem. Psychotherapy is like wandering into an unknown territory; not knowing what to expect at the next corner; and this is equally valid for both the psychotherapist and his client. During the therapy, the psychotherapists are discovering, unearthing facts; maybe sub-conscious, that tend to haunt the individual. The psychotherapist is trying to solve the issue, using practically no prior data at all. (Winter 2011 Edition) Although science forms the basis of psychotherapy, a psychotherapist uses tools like sadness, joy, anger, relief, pain, happiness; to relate to the individual. Because these are what makes up the world of every individual, no matter how professional, or how unemotional he is. These are the basic facts that seem real even when nothing else does. A psychotherapist has to use these mediums to cater the issues of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, etc. but that doesn’t mean that science is not necessary. Psychotherapist needs science to understand the brain and its functions. It is needed to better formulate the reasons and causes of how brain reacts to certain emotions, and how does fear gets transferred through generations; and understanding the relations of memory to certain events. Such as why do some events get pinned in our memory while others can retreat to our sub-conscious; which in both cases can lead to traumatic conditions; and why do different people feel emotions or distress at different levels. Science maybe used as a means to measure the outcomes; i.e. whether a person has changed during the therapy or not. Different methods may be used to determine these outcomes, depending on the kind of problem. In some situations, the results may be very clear-cut and easily measured; in others it may not be so easy. In some situations different kinds of behavioral assessments are done to judge the effects of therapy. Psychotherapy can work as a support to help cope with the difficult phases of life, such as a mental-health issue, a trauma, or more generally work or family life problems. Psychotherapy is bounded by time limitations and the achievements of certain objectives. Mostly psychotherapy doesn’t last for more than a year. Normally science works on the basis of some anomaly or crisis. Kuhn has described this process as the development of science. Science then attempts to solve the crisis or the anomaly by using the existing paradigm. But if that paradigm is not sufficient to explain the new and the old information, then the scientific community develops a new paradigm, which would effectively, elucidate all the data. . (Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolution). In this way science progresses; and the same can be said about the psychotherapy. In psychotherapy there is no one sound way or a scientific method to treat the dilemmas. Every problem is new and should be handled in a different way. Just like no two people are same, not even twins, no two people can feel in the same way; not even when countered by the same situation. Everyone thinks differently, and has different opinions and therefore everyone cannot comprehend every emotion or problem in the same way. Two people injured in a car accident, may not feel its impact in the same way. Only one may suffer from post-traumatic stress, while the other doesn’t. . (Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolution). Therefore, psychotherapy cannot be science. In my opinion, science is employed in psychotherapy as a means to understand the problems or traumas; but cannot solve them effectively. To help someone cope with depression, you may need drugs, but drugs alone could do nothing. What the person actually needs is a sense of self-actualization; a sense of knowing that he/she is worthwhile, worthy of being loved. That they are something, they need to be realized that they can do wonders; that they are capable of achieving every milestone in their way. ( WOLBERG, L. R. 1977).  Today, treating depression involves cognitive behavioral therapy; and there is nothing scientific about it. It’s different from medicine, because scientific research shows that psychotherapy work differently. Some treatments that are scientifically monitored or strictly follow science have not shown any better achievement then the other methods brought into play in psychotherapy. Mostly, an attentive psychotherapist, who listens and successfully forms relationship with his patient, and can counsel him into solving his problem, is more than sufficient. You don’t always require drugs or medicine in psychotherapy. (WOLBERG, L. R. 1977)  REFERENCES: INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY: COGNITIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY TOWARD A NEW MILLENNIUM, SCRIMALI, T., & GRIMALDI, L. (2002). Cognitive psychotherapy toward a new millennium: scientific foundations and clinical practice. New York, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. WOLBERG, L. R. (1977). The technique of psychotherapy. New York, Grune & Stratton. Bird, Alexander, "Thomas Kuhn", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2011 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), forthcoming URL = . ROWBOTTOM, DARRELL. (2010). Popper's Critical Rationalism. Routledge. KUHN, T. S. (1970). The structure of scientific revolutions. Chicago, University of Chicago Press. Read More