viii Preface
model of anxiety was needed so the model could be understood within the context of
contemporary research findings. This book, then, was born out of this necessity. In
addition, we believe that a single volume containing a detailed comprehensive treatment
handbook for cognitive therapy is timely in order to encourage greater use by clinicians
of evidence-based psychotherapy for the anxiety disorders.
The book is divided into three parts. Part I consists of four chapters on the refor-
mulated cognitive model of anxiety and its empirical status. Chapter 1 discusses the dis-
tinctions between fear and anxiety and provides a rationale for taking a cognitive per-
spective on anxiety. Chapter 2 presents a reformulation of the generic cognitive model
of anxiety based on the original model (Beck et al., 1985) that was later refined by Beck
and Clark (1997). Twelve key hypotheses of the model are presented in Chapter 2, and
the vast empirical research relevant to these hypotheses is critically reviewed in Chap-
ters 3 and 4. The literature review spans hundreds of studies conducted in key research
centers in Western Europe and North America, confirming our perception that the main
tenets of the cognitive model of anxiety have achieved a broad basis of empirical sup-
port.
The cognitive therapy approach has been applied to a wide range of psychiatric
and personality conditions. Thus, Part II consists of three chapters that explain how
the basic elements of cognitive therapy are used to alleviate anxiety. Chapter 5 reviews
several standardized measures of anxious symptoms and cognition that are useful for
assessment and treatment evaluation and provides a detailed explanation for produc-
ing a cognitive case formulation of anxiety. Chapters 6 and 7 present a step-by-step
description for implementing various cognitive and behavioral intervention strategies
for reduction of anxious symptoms. Case illustrations, suggested therapy narratives,
and clinical resource materials are provided in all three chapters as training tools in
cognitive therapy.
The final section, Part III, consists of five chapters that present disorder- specific
adaptations of cognitive therapy for panic disorder, social phobia, generalized anxiety
disorder, obsessive– compulsive disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. We excluded
specific phobias because there have been fewer developments on the cognitive aspects
of phobia since its presentation in Beck et al. (1985), and exposure-based treatment is
still considered the main treatment approach for reduction of phobic responses. Each of
the disorder- specific chapters presents a cognitive model tailored to that disorder and a
review of the empirical research that addresses key hypotheses of each model. In addi-
tion, the chapters offer disorder- specific case conceptualizations and cognitive therapy
strategies that target unique symptom features of each disorder. In essence, Part III
consists of five minitreatment manuals for complex anxiety disorders.
To assist therapists in explaining cognitive concepts and strategies to their clients,
we are in the process of developing a companion client workbook that will match the
organization and themes of the present book and will offer explanations for key aspects
of the therapy, homework exercises, and record-keeping forms.
We are indebted to a large contingent of renowned experts in the anxiety disorders
whose theoretical contributions, innovative and rigorous research, and clinically astute
treatment insights are responsible for the significant advances that we have presented in
this volume. In particular we acknowledge the notable contributions to cognitive the-
ory and therapy of anxiety of Drs. Martin Antony, Jonathan Abramowitz, David Bar-
low, Thomas Borkovec, Brendan Bradley, Michelle Craske, David M. Clark, Meredith