Common
and
specific
factors
in
CBT:
Theory
and
research
from
studies
in
the
treatment
of
anxiety
The
common
vs.
specific
factors
debate
has
been
around
for
almost
90
years.
Most
advocates
of
CBT
have
suggested
that
common
factors
are
necessary,
but
not
sufficient.
Others
have
argued
that
the
Dodo
Bird
is
alive
and
well,
and
that
all
treatments
that
are
credible
or
bona
fide
yield
similar
results.
In
the
current
talk,
I
will
review
data
from
clinical
trials
of
CBT
for
panic
disorder,
social
anxiety
disorder,
and
OCD
in
which
common
factors
such
as
the
therapist
effects,
working
alliance,
expectancy,
and
motivation
have
been
examined
along
with
specific
factors
such
as
changes
in
negative
cognitions,
attentional
bias,
interpretation
bias,
or
emotion
regulation
(reappraisal,
suppression).
Overall,
results
suggest
a
more
nuanced
picture
than
either
school
typically
advocates,
such
that
the
role
of
the
common
factors
has
an
impact,
as
do
specific
techniques
and
mechanisms,
partially
depending
on
the
disorder
in
question
and
potentially
the
difficulty
of
the
case
at
hand.
Advances
in
the
field
will
come
from
careful,
honest,
and
critical
examination
of
the
data,
openness
to
data
from
other
perspectives
(for
potential
for
integration),
and
with
continued
attempts
to
improve
interventions
as
well
as
scaling
them
up
via
internet
based
and
other
low-intensity
interventions.
Jonathan
D.
Huppert
is
Professor
and
Chair
of
the
Department
of
Psychology
at
The
Hebrew
University
of
Jerusalem,
Israel,
where
he
holds
the
Sam
and
Helen
Berber
Chair
of
Clinical
Psychology.
Dr.
Huppert
specializes
in
the
nature
and
treatment
of
anxiety
and
related
disorders,
and
has
worked
on
dissemination
of
CBT
throughout
Israel
and
beyond.
He
conducts
research
on
the
processes
of
cognitive
behavioral
therapy,
to
better
understand
its
mechanisms.