Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) was an outgrowth of behavioral techniques for the elimination of phobias. Instead of using in vivo methods to reduce phobias, CBT used imagination. It became more extensive in that it proposed "How you thing is how you feel", that your thinking affects your mood and your approach to problems. These thought patterns could be changed and patterns could be learned that helped to relieve eople of their symptoms. These methods were used by Ellis in Rational Emotive Therapy and by Beck to relieve depression. The techniques have also been used to relieve symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Anxiety Disorder.
CBT is believed to be more scientific than other methods because it believes in collecting data through questionnaires to determine if there are a reduction of symptoms. Thus, it looks for some proof that the symptoms have been relieved.
CBT effectively teaches the patient techniques to manage their own symptoms, so that once the training is over, the patient has the added benefit of knowing they have learned techniques for managing their own behavior.