Different Forms of Abusive Behavior - Essay Example

Now, most victims come forward, sharing their stories in the belief that it would somehow help them overcome the mental and emotional stress they have been carrying. In helping victims of abuse reach this goal, experts in the field of psychology have started to employ the cognitive-behavioral theory.

As the name denotes, the cognitive-behavioral theory is a blend of two psychological theories. Behaviorism or behavioral theory was advanced by John B. Watson and B.F. Skinner. (Cherry, 2013) The pair believed that a person’s actions are made in response to what is around them. (McLeod, 2007) Thus, these actions can be studied and changed. Meanwhile, cognitivism or cognitive theory was started by Ulric Neisser. (Neisser, 1967) The idea suggests that the way a person acts is influenced by the way they think. In cognitive-behavioral theory, psychologists intimate that a person’s thoughts and emotions have a significant role (British, 2005) in the way the person behaves.

Commonly, the patients who are suffering or have experienced abuse act in a different way than the rest of society. They may be paranoid or become reclusive. On the other hand, they may become too vulgar or too loose. Each one tries to put behind the bad memories in their own ways. Therapists and counselors like me try to help these victims achieve this goal in the safest way. One of these ways is by using the cognitive-behavioral theory (CBT). Because results can be observed faster and the process has a definite end unlike other interventions, CBT is thought to be an effective approach. (Children, 2007)

When a person is abused, the victim undergoes a variety of things. For example, one who has gone through bullying may have very low self-esteem, depression, and even suicidal tendencies. (United, 2012) In treating the individual using CBT, the therapist would guide the patient into analyzing and looking at the instances of bullying in a different way so as to encourage more positive feelings and decrease the risk of harmful behavior such as committing suicide.

Another example is when a person is abused by his or her partner. In this case, abuse is usually physical, mental, and/or emotional. Also, it is very common in this kind of abuse for the victim to blame oneself and to think that the abuse was only appropriate. Employing CBT in this scenario would be motivating the victim to think of each particular time the abuse happened and evaluate what the abuser did or said and if these were prompted by any action or words from the victim. Moving forward, the therapist and the victim will work on examining how the victim’s emotions have influenced her daily activities and relationships. (Amaral, 2011)

CBT is very important in the treatment of abused persons because it helps the victims improve their behavior by changing their thought processes. CBT has six stages, namely; assessment, reconceptualization, skills acquisition, skills consolidation and application training, generalization and maintenance, and post-treatment assessment follow-up. (Gatchel, 2008)

Another reason why CBT is significant in the treatment of abused individuals is that it does not take as long as other approaches. “The average number of sessions clients receive (across all types of problems and approaches to CBT) is only 16 (National, 2010).” “Unlike some other forms of psychotherapy that can require a patient to work with a therapist for years, cognitive-behavioral techniques are designed to elicit rapid change (Dual, 2013) CBT follows a process and requires the patient to practice helpful tasks outside the session. As such, the patient, with the guidance of the therapist, is able to set a goal over a defined period of time and strive to meet that goal before the final session.

Finally, and I believe, most importantly, CBT allows for an observable change in the abused victim’s behavior. As mentioned in the preceding paragraph, CBT interventions have specific phases. For each of these phases, the victims undergo a process that would help them overcome the negative thoughts brought about by their experiences of abuse. Ideally, after each of these processes, the victim’s mentality, as well as his or her behavior, gradually changes. These developments serve to motivate the victim to strive and achieve more productive changes.

Indeed, CBT interventions have been a very effective method in the treatment of abused victims. Studies have proven this. A clinical study on child sexual abuse survivors with Complex PTSD has shown that “short-term CBT, provided in a structured and focused protocol, might be quite sufficient for the range of symptoms of complex PTSD (Resick, 2003).” PTSD or post-traumatic stress disorder is a common occurrence for victims of abuse. In another study, researchers discovered that group CBT therapy was very helpful for victims of Intimate Partner Violence or IVP. “By targeting a client’s sense of control, power, safety, self-esteem, and intimacy, the intervention was able to… increase personal and social resources (Sax, 2012)”

Before the intervention, victims of abuse retain unhealthy thoughts and emotions. These have a big influence on how they treat others and themselves. In extreme cases, these actions may even cause death. It is important, therefore, for experts to alleviate the victims of this burden the soonest time possible. As studies have shown, the cognitive-behavioral theory approach achieves this. It has proven to be truly beneficial for victims of abuse because it is fast and structured.

       

       

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