The negative impact of the cognitive movement on the continued growth of the behavior therapy movement: a historical perspective.

Abstract

In recent years, a growing number of behavior therapists have expressed concern over the current state of the behavioral therapy movement. Some of the major problems raised center on current overload and fractionization, the lack of a coherent overall picture, the loss of identity, and the influx of cognitivism. In an attempt to enhance understanding of the factors responsible for the current crises in the behavior therapy field, the author provides a historical overview of the behavioral movement from its original conception to its current state. An argument is made that the solution to the afore-mentioned problems resides in the readoption of the underlying philosophy of science that originally gave birth and purpose to the field.