A framework for the delivery of cognitive behaviour therapy in the educational psychology context

Abstract

Mental health problems among children and young people are now widespread and affecting their social, emotional and behavioural functioning in schools and communities. Increasingly, teachers, parents and pupils are seeking psychological support and advice in meeting the needs of this vulnerable group, yet there is currently no guarantee that the essential expertise and time will be readily available to meet this demand. The treatment choice for the majority of mental health problems is cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), and with the emerging evidence base of its successful application in the child and adolescent population it appears set to become an integral part of the educational psychologist’s repertoire. Postgraduate training courses are seeking to provide additional training in CBT and other psychotherapies. Practitioners are taking action to become skilled in a range of CBT allied techniques and making definitive statements about the need to have time for this type of ‘real’ psychology. This paper is a review that addresses what CBT is, including its psychological origins and the key elements, the latest evidence of its usefulness, how it is done, the problems and solution of using a cognitive-developmental framework for applying CBT to children and young people and some exemplars of specific techniques and applications.