Problem-solving and coping skills deficits have been shown in adolescents who experience suicide-related behaviours, including suicidal ideation. Little evidence exists about effective interventions for this population. We undertook a pilot study of an Internet-based CBT programme that included problem-solving skills training to investigate its impact on skills deficits. The study employed a pre-test/post-test design. Outcomes of interest were negative problem orientation, emotion- and task-focused coping, and adolescents’ perception of helpfulness of the intervention. Participants, recruited via the school wellbeing team, were assessed at baseline, at weekly intervention sessions and immediately post-intervention. Twenty-one adolescents completed the intervention. Over the course of the intervention, negative problem-solving orientation improved and students relied less on emotion-focused coping strategies. Because there was no control group, we cannot be certain that the changes seen between baseline and post-intervention can be attributed to the intervention. Adolescents rated the problem-solving and cognitive restructuring modules as particularly helpful. Interventions that include enhancement of problem-solving skills, as well as cognitive restructuring to address adolescents’ appraisal of problems and their ability to solve them appear promising for adolescents with suicidal ideation. Further investigation is warranted.

Attention to client metaphors has been asserted as a way of enhancing cognitive behaviour therapy. Metaphors can be part of the shared language that is co-constructed between clients and therapists. Recent advances in cognitive linguistics have provided the most clearly operationalized method yet to identify metaphors in conversations, allowing analysis of how shared language develops. This study aims to explore how metaphoric shared language develops in early cognitive behaviour therapy sessions. Based on 12 transcripts of early cognitive behaviour therapy sessions, an iterative process led to the identification of a range of therapist and client responses to each other's metaphors, and identification of whether therapists or clients initiated metaphoric exchanges. Types of responses to therapist or client metaphors within three speaking turns were found to be: repetition, rephrasing, exploration, elaboration/extension, or agreement. Bursts of metaphoric exchange were initiated and taken up by therapists and clients at a similar rate. To conclude, therapists need to attend to the occurrence of metaphors and be aware of the range of potential responses that can engage the client in the ‘metaphoric dance’ (co-construction of shared metaphors). This has the potential to enhance engagement and outcomes though more salient reformulating of the problem for the client.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for major depression is an effective treatment, but outcomes for complex cases, with co-occurring biological, psychological and social factors, are variable. Complexity factors can cause treatment to become diffuse, disorganized and over-complicated. At Step 3, disorder-specific protocols should be provided with therapy kept as simple as possible and delivered responsively, e.g. barriers to treatment should be tackled, ensure the client is well-prepared and seek to form a strong therapeutic alliance. At Step 4, if disorder-specific protocols have been ineffective, the priority is to formulate how complexity factors are interacting with the client's depression. An individualized formulation is used to carefully target these interactions. The treatment is still evidence-based and simple at the point of delivery, but there is greater emphasis on case-level interactions that are unique to each individual. Case examples are used to illustrate both approaches.

Evaluating and enhancing supervisee competence is a key function of supervision and can be aided by the use of direct assessments of clinical competence, e.g. the Cognitive Therapy Scale – Revised (CTS-R). We aimed to review the literature regarding inter-rater reliability and training on the CTS and CTS-R to present exploratory data on training raters to use this measure. We employed a systematic review. An exploratory study evaluated the outcomes of a CTS-R supervisor training workshop (n = 34), including self-reported familiarity with and confidence in using the tool, and inter-rater consistency on three CTS-R subscales, pre- and post-training. CTS and CTS-R inter-rater reliability was variable, with evidence of rater training enhancing reliability, although the form, duration and frequency of such training is unclear. The exploratory study found that supervisors rated themselves as more familiar with and confident in using the CTS-R at the end of training compared to at the beginning. However, inter-rater reliability was poor at the beginning and end of the training. Rating competence requires supervisors to make qualitative judgements, which is inherently variable. Training raters has been shown to improve rater reliability, although this was not demonstrated in the exploratory study. Practice implications and future research priorities are identified.

This study examines trainees’ evaluations of a postgraduate CBT training course to determine which aspects are perceived as having the greatest effect on competence. A course evaluation was completed by three cohorts (n = 73) of a yearlong master's-level CBT training course, and statistical comparisons were conducted to examine the perceived impact of discrete aspects of training. There were significant differences between endorsements of the impact of various aspects of the learning experience. Overall, supervision was perceived to have a greater influence on trainees’ competence than clinical instruction. Interactions with trainers were given the highest rating, followed by learning from personal reflection and peer interactions. The varied aspects of extensive CBT training were perceived by students to be differentially effective in enhancing CBT skills. Supervision was perceived to have the strongest impact on competence, and trainees’ own reflections on their practice in preparation for supervision perceived as an important contributor to supervision's efficacy. The relatively low rating of peer-related learning suggests acceptability for distance training (e.g. internet-based), which excludes peer interaction found in traditional training. Due to limitations inherent in study design, only tentative conclusions can be offered. Further research involving more rigorous hypothesis testing is recommended.

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF-CBT) is beneficial for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, a subset of clients struggle to engage with traditional methods, due to high levels of avoidance and dissociation. This paper aims to describe an adapted approach to imaginal reliving and prolonged exposure, to facilitate subsequent cognitive updating. The paper demonstrates the technique with veterans, who are a client group that may struggle with some aspects of traditionally implemented TF-CBT. Two case studies are described, both with PTSD symptoms stemming from traumatic military experiences. An adapted exposure technique is utilized to address the barriers of high dissociation, poor access to trauma-related cognitions and fixed intrusive imagery. The approach involved three stages: (1) reliving the trauma outdoors, (2) manipulating the perspectives of the imagery, and (3) restructuring the narrative with new perspectives. Both clients showed decreased dissociation and improved toleration of their traumatic imagery. Improvement of PTSD symptoms and quality-of-life functioning was observed for both clients on objective measures. Adapting TF-CBT to have a stronger emphasis on grounding and allocentric processing may be helpful for a subset of patients with PTSD that present with high levels of dissociation and avoidance. Further research and investigation into alternative populations is needed.

Although clinicians have used cognitive behavioural case formulations (CBCFs) to guide treatment for many years, the validity of the case formulation (CF) is rarely evaluated. Given the central role of the formulation in treatment planning, particularly for complex or comorbid cases, a straightforward method to empirically evaluate the validity of the CBCF could increase the effectiveness of a treatment plan tailored for a particular client. This article describes a step-by-step, person-specific approach to evaluating a CBCF that can be used for appropriate cases in a clinical practice or especially a clinical training setting. The evaluation focuses on discriminant validity of person-specific scales and constructs and patterns of predicted functional relationships between idiosyncratic cognitions and distress. The approach is illustrated with an adult seen in a training clinic who was diagnosed with generalized anxiety and recurrent major depressive disorders and who completed 28 brief end-of-day, individualized questionnaires. The clinician's CBCF hypotheses were empirically evaluated using mostly simple statistical analyses available in readily accessible worksheets. Intervention implications of the CF evaluation are discussed.

Body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs) including trichotillomania, skin picking, and nail biting, are non-functional self-destructive habits, which have a severe negative impact on everyday functioning. Although BFRBs cause distress, they are maintained by both negative (relief) and positive (stimulation) reinforcement. The emotional regulation (ER) model proposes that people with BFRBs have a general deficit in ER and, as a consequence, engage in BFRBs to alleviate affect and reinforce the behaviour. The current study was designed to explore differences in ER between people with BFRBs and controls to identify specific emotions triggering BFRBs. Forty-eight participants (24 BFRB, 24 controls) completed questionnaires measuring Difficulties in Emotional Regulation (DERS), a Triggers Scale and an Affective Regulation Scale (ARS). Significant differences in people with BFRBs and controls were reported principally on the DERS subscales of lack of emotional clarity, difficulties in impulse control, and access to ER strategies. On the ARS, the BFRB group reported overall difficulty ‘snapping out’ of emotions. The majority of BFRBs were reported to be triggered by anxiety (78%), tension (70%), or boredom (52%). The clinical implication is that ER could be beneficially targeted in therapy for BFRBs.

Current work in multicultural competency has emphasized factors such as race and ethnicity, age, disability status, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and gender. For those clinicians who work with military and veteran populations, grounding in military cultural competence is also critical as a prerequisite for providing quality care. We believe that engaging these populations from a specifically cognitive behavioural orientation allows bridging of cultural gaps and that there is a natural alignment between cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and many aspects of warrior culture. This paper outlines several factors related to the values of military culture and strategies of the CBT therapist to better understand and use these values effectively in clinical practice, including lessons learned from an intensive outpatient program providing speciality care to veterans and military service members.

Policy and legislation requires clinicians and services to address diversity and equalities including disability. Currently, practice, training and research do not do this adequately. This paper outlines why adapted CBT is important and presents some evidence to increase accessibility for people who have cognitive impairments, learning disabilities and/or neurodevelopmental disorders. It demonstrates how CBT can be made accessible through clinical examples using traditional, adapted and personalized assessment and intervention materials. Implications and recommendations are identified.

For more than a decade, Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) has been training a new workforce of psychological therapists. Despite evidence of stress and burnout both in trainee mental health professionals, and qualified IAPT clinicians, little is known about these topics in IAPT trainees. Consequently, this systematic review sought to establish the current state of the literature regarding stress and burnout in IAPT trainees. Electronic databases were searched to identify all published and available unpublished work relating to the topic. On the basis of pre-established eligibility criteria, eight studies (including six unpublished doctoral theses) were identified and assessed for quality. This review identifies that research into the experience of IAPT trainees is under-developed. Existing evidence tentatively suggests that IAPT trainees may experience levels of stress and burnout that are higher than their qualified peers and among the higher end of healthcare professionals more generally. The experience of fulfilling dual roles as mental health professionals and university students concurrently appears to be a significant source of stress for IAPT trainees. More research regarding the levels and sources of stress and burnout in IAPT trainees is urgently needed to confirm and extend these findings. Recommendations for future research in the area are given.

Like any treatment, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) may have negative as well as positive outcomes, and the same is true of CBT supervision. This is recognized in definitions of supervision, which prioritize helping supervisees to ‘do no harm’ to their patients. Client harm is associated with personal distress in supervisees (therapists), such as burnout, resulting in sub-standard therapy which causes harm to patients. Some supervisors have contributed to the supervisees’ distress, and consequently to patient harm. Harm may also arise from other staff members, or from situational factors that impact negatively on various aspects of the healthcare environment. At a more distal level, the host organization may create a context that allows such problems to go unchecked (e.g. a failure to train or support supervisors adequately). It follows that a large-scale framework is necessary to fully understand and address this multi-dimensional and systemic context for harm. Therefore, this theoretical review sketches out a preliminary ‘infidelity framework’ in order to classify ten types of problem behaviour that commonly contribute to harm that is linked to supervision. Drawing on related frameworks and neighbouring literatures, the infidelity framework also offers an understanding of the typical antecedents and consequences of each of these ten behaviours. This generic functional analysis leads to examples of evidence-based CBT supervision that might prevent or rectify harm.

This article describes the clinical supervision of Multisystemic Therapy (MST), which takes place in the context of a quality assurance and quality improvement system that is used to support the transport and implementation of MST nationally and internationally. Information is provided about the assumptions, objectives, structure, process, and content of MST supervision; training and support provided to supervisors; methods used to measure adherence to the supervision model; and, findings supporting linkages between supervision, therapist adherence, and youth outcomes. MST supervision is considered in the context of recent efforts to identify empirically supported approaches to supervision and of recent developments in implementation research.

People with psychosis do not have routine access to trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions such as imagery rescripting (IR), partly due to clinical caution. This case study describes the use of a simple imagery task designed to engender ‘felt security’, as a means of facilitating IR with a woman struggling with distressing memory intrusions, linked to her voices and paranoia. We assessed the impact of the felt security task, which was used before IR to enable Kip to engage in reprocessing of her trauma memories, and again after IR so that she would leave sessions feeling safe. The brief imagery task was effective in improving felt security before IR sessions. Felt security then reduced during IR, when distressing material was recalled and reprocessed, and increased again when the task was repeated. It is not yet clear whether trauma-focused interventions such as IR need to be routinely adapted for people with psychosis. In the event that individuals express concerns about IR, if the person’s formulation indicates that high levels of arousal may trigger an exacerbation of voices, paranoia or risk, or where clinicians are otherwise concerned about interventions likely to increase emotional arousal in the short term, the felt security task may facilitate safe and effective reprocessing of trauma memories. This in turn may increase access to trauma-focused CBT for people with psychosis.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an empirically grounded approach which typically relies on formulation to guide the shape and course of therapy. Cognitive formulation is widely advocated but poorly understood at an empirical level. This study aimed to characterize how clinicians understand the structure and uses of formulation and how they report on using it in their clinical practice relative to an expert reference group. A total of 124 clinicians in routine clinical practice completed a questionnaire, which assessed their clinical use and understanding of formulation. For some aspects of the questionnaire a comparison with a reference group, 15 highly specialist CBT therapists, was used. High levels of self-rated expertise were noted and at levels comparable to that of the highly specialist group. Participants rated themselves as less capable in terms of their formulation skills relative to their self-rating in CBT overall. Formulation is typically rated as important by those with some professional commitment to CBT. There may be some gaps in the way formulation is applied in clinical practice that should be addressed at the level of training and supervision.

Empirical investigations of mood variability during actual and ‘real time’ shopping episodes are absent from the compulsive-buying (CB) literature. A field experiment was therefore conducted with a participant meeting desired clinical and research requirements for identifying CB and a control subject for comparison purposes. Each participant went on four shopping trips and rated various parameters of mood and self-perception prior to, during and after each shopping trip. Each phase (i.e. pre-shop, shop and post-shop) lasted for 1.5 h, with ratings of mood and self-evaluation taken every 10 min. Results indicate that, although shopping was a guilty pleasure for the CB participant, there were more similarities than differences apparent in terms of mood and self-evaluation between the CB and control participant. The CB participant experienced significant levels of self-dislike during the shopping episodes. In terms of the comparisons between the pre-, during and post-shopping phases, the first 40 minutes of actual shopping seemed to be particularly arousing/exciting for the CB participant. The study is discussed in terms of key methodological requirements for increased validity and reliability in studying CB phenomena and the range of indicated possible cognitive and behavioural interventions.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) can be effective for anorexia nervosa. However, there is evidence that the delivery of treatments for the eating disorders is inconsistent. This study examined evidence that clinician characteristics and practice can influence the effective implementation of CBT. The participants were 100 qualified clinicians who routinely offered outpatient CBT to adults with anorexia nervosa. They completed a survey of their demographic characteristics, level of anxiety, clinical practice in CBT for anorexia nervosa, and beliefs about the relationship between weight gain and therapeutic alliance in the early part of such treatment. Greater reported levels of weight gain were associated with the use of manuals, early focus on weight gain as a target, structured eating, and a belief that weight gain precedes a good working alliance. Clinician anxiety and early focus on the therapeutic alliance rather than structured eating were associated with poorer outcomes. These conclusions need to be tested within clinical and research settings. However, they suggest that clinicians should be encouraged to use manual-based approaches when treating anorexia nervosa using CBT, as focusing on techniques might result in the best possible outcome in this early part of treatment.

In a cisheteronormative culture, gender and sexual minorities (GSMs) may experience additional challenges that get in the way of a meaningful life. It is crucial that clinicians are mindful of these challenges and cognizant about the specificities of clinical work with GSMs. This article points out how societal structure interferes with mental health, and clarifies what clinicians must take into account when using affirmative cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions. Knowledge of up-to-date terminology and use of affirmative language are the first steps that contribute to clients’ experience of respect, which is paramount for the development of a good therapeutic relationship. Considering a conceptual framework of minority stress to understand vulnerability in GSM, specificities in formulation and key psychological processes are discussed. Moreover, guidelines and practical tools for intervention are presented within a CBT approach. Some reflections on therapists’ own personal biases are encouraged, in order to increase the efficacy of interventions.

Reappraisal strategies such as ‘thought challenging’ and ‘cost-benefits analysis’ are a hallmark of cognitive therapy, but sometimes fail to bring about lasting changes in the cognitive-affective structures underlying psychopathology. Modern theories of information processing suggest that experiential, action-based interventions such as chairwork may be a more efficacious route to cognitive modification. Based upon this hypothesis, a ‘dialogical’ approach to cognitive therapy is presented, which aims to bring about change through evocative, here-and-now interactions with parts of the self (self-to-self dialogues) and other individuals (self-to-other dialogues). Implementation principles and facilitation skills which guide this approach are outlined. To illustrate how dialogical interventions are utilized in clinical practice, chair-based strategies for socializing clients to the cognitive behavioural model, restructuring cognitions, facilitating emotional processing, resolving ambivalence, addressing distressing memories, building character strengths, and overcoming therapeutic impasses are described.

Persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD) has been included in the appendix of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders as a condition for further study, and a new diagnostic category of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is likely to be added to the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD-11) (Maercker et al., 2013). Whilst there is increasing evidence that prolonged grief has distinct characteristics (Bryant, 2012), there are clinical features that overlap with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as intrusive memories, emotional numbing, and avoidance of trauma or loss reminders. Here we describe how the cognitive model for persistent PTSD (Ehlers and Clark, 2000) and trauma-focused cognitive therapy for PTSD (Ehlers et al., 2005) have been helpful in treating persistent complex grief.