Psychotherapy: Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

This chapter discusses cognitive processing therapy (CPT), a trauma-focused, cognitive-behavioral treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). CPT focuses primarily on identifying and challenging maladaptive beliefs that have developed about and as a result of the trauma, in order to help the client adopt a more balanced set of beliefs. Based on its long history of research support, CPT is one of the leading evidence-based treatments for PTSD. The chapter covers the theoretical background for CPT, describes the therapy, and presents a summary of research findings. Studies of CPT across multiple populations, settings, cultures, and countries are discussed. Research on the efficacy of CPT for individuals with comorbid conditions (e.g., brain injury, personality disorders, depression) and the impact of CPT on health-related outcomes and psychosocial functioning is also presented.