Cognitive-Behavioral Assessment in Research

Recommended Prerequisites

It is recommend that students have prior knowledge in the areas of psychopathology and clinical and health psychology, as well as Cognitive-Behavioral Assessment in Clinical Context.

Teaching Methods

In this course unit, it will be favored an articulation between teaching methods focused on lectures (using audiovisual support) and training of practical skills in the classroom, such as critical analysis of articles, but also of identification/selection, adaptation/validation and interpretation of measures of assessment and of efficacy. In order to show the link between assessment and research, some researchers who conduct research in the area of CBT interventions (through clinical trials [e.g., RCT]) will be invited, followed by a guided debate.

Learning Outcomes

This course unit aims to provide knowledge on the principles of cognitive behavioral (CBT) assessment in research, thus promoting knowledge on the level of operationalization (outcome/process) and measurement of psychological constructs, application of different methods/techniques of research in applied Clinical and Health Psychology, as well as evidence-based practice, assessing research findings on the effectiveness or efficiency of CBT interventions (e.g., effect size). Questions about the use of specific measures in this area (particularly patient-reported measures) will be explored, and the development of the required skills for their application in research will be promoted. It is intended to develop skills of critical appraisal of empirical evidence and understanding of the value of evidence-based approaches to CBT intervention, as well as ability to apply these approaches in clinical practice and research planning.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Cognitive-Behavioral (CBT) Assessment in Research

1.1. General principles and emergent questions of CBT assessment in research

1.2. Methods of assessment and informants

1.3. Outcome measures and process measures (mediators/moderators)

1.4. Factors and transdiagnostic processes

 

2. Patient-reported measures and outcomes

2.1. Context and types of measures

2.2. Importance of development and adaptation/validation of assessment questionnaires

2.3. Contexts of application in research: Clinical trials

 

3. Empirical evidence of the effectiveness of CBT intervention

3.1. Importance of developing CBT intervention programs

3.2. Methods and criteria for assessing research evidence regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of CBT interventions

3.3. Measures for assessing efficacy: Binary measures, precision measures, effect size

3.4. Examples of CBT intervention protocols: Diagnostic-specific and unified protocol

Head Lecturer(s)

Marco Daniel de Almeida Pereira

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Group research work (10 points): 50.0%
Individual test, classroom (10 points): 50.0%

Bibliography

Calvert, M., Blazeby, J., … CONSORT PRO Group, F. T. (2013). Reporting of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Randomized Trials. JAMA, 309, 814.

 

Harvey, A.G. & Gumport, N.B. (2015). Evidence-based psychological treatments for mental disorders: Modifiable barriers to access and possible solutions. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 68, 1-12.

 

Hofmann, S.G., & Hayes, S.C. (2019). The future of intervention science: Process-based therapy. Clinical Psychological Science, 7, 37-50.

 

Kazantzis, N., Luong, H.K., … Hofmann, S.G. (2018). The processes of cognitive behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 42, 349-357.

 

Powers, M.B., De Kleine, R.A., & Smits, J.A. (2017). Core mechanisms of cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and depression. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 40, 611-623.

 

Tolin, D.F., McKay, D., … Thombs, B.D. (2015). Empirically supported treatment: Recommendations for a new model. Clinical Psychology. Science and Practice, 22, 317-338.