Enhancing cognitive therapy for depression with functional analytic psychotherapy: Treatment guidelines and empirical findings Original Research Article

Two enhancements to cognitive therapy (CT)—a broader rationale for the causes and treatment of depression, and a more intense focus on the client-therapist relationship—were evaluated in a treatment development study. The enhancements were informed by Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP; ), a treatment based on a behavioral analysis of the change process. FAP Enhanced Cognitive Therapy (FECT) includes 7 specific techniques that CT therapists can use to make their treatment more powerful and to address the diverse needs of clients more effectively. The results indicate that FECT produced a greater focus on the client-therapist relationship and is a promising approach for improving outcome and interpersonal functioning. It also appears that a focus during sessions on clientsʹ problematic cognitions about the therapist adds to efficacy.