Cognitive Behavior Therapy with Children

Abstract

Cognitive behavior therapy with children is a relatively new and rapidly developing area of clinical psychology. In a recent survey of employment in APA-approved clinical psychology programs, Klesges, Sanchez, and Stanton (1982) found that 40% of the new faculty described their theoretical orientation as cognitive behavioral and an additional 18% described themselves as behavioral; both of these percentages exceeded any other specific theoretical preference. In their recent survey sampling clinical psychologists of Division 12 of APA, Norcross and Prochaska (1982) reported that behavior modification and family therapy involving children were among the most rapidly increasing therapy activities. It is likely that this increased emphasis will continue, because the youngest group of therapists (less than 10 years of postdoctoral experience) spent a greater percentage of their time engaged in these recently developed approaches than did the more experienced therapists.