Which statement is true regarding cognitive behavioral therapy?

Which statement is true regarding cognitive behavioral therapy?

• A. It is superior to contingency management approaches
• B. It is inferior to motivational interviewing
• C. It has no effect on relapse
• D. It is only useful with pharmacotherapy

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is that cognitive behavioral therapy emphasizes building practical, lasting skills for managing thoughts, cravings, and high-risk situations, which helps people prevent relapse long after treatment ends. CBT teaches clients to recognize distorted thinking, develop coping strategies, and create relapse-prevention plans, so the benefits tend to generalize to real-life challenges beyond the clinical setting. Contingency management, by contrast, relies on external rewards to reinforce abstinence during treatment. While CM can yield strong short-term abstinence and engagement, its effects often depend on ongoing reinforcement and may not transfer as well once rewards stop. That durability and transfer of skills makes CBT a stronger option in terms of long-term relapse prevention, which is why this statement aligns with the best-supported understanding. The other statements don’t fit because motivational interviewing focuses primarily on building motivation, CBT clearly impacts relapse through skills, and CBT can be effective without pharmacotherapy.

The key idea here is that cognitive behavioral therapy emphasizes building practical, lasting skills for managing thoughts, cravings, and high-risk situations, which helps people prevent relapse long after treatment ends. CBT teaches clients to recognize distorted thinking, develop coping strategies, and create relapse-prevention plans, so the benefits tend to generalize to real-life challenges beyond the clinical setting. Contingency management, by contrast, relies on external rewards to reinforce abstinence during treatment. While CM can yield strong short-term abstinence and engagement, its effects often depend on ongoing reinforcement and may not transfer as well once rewards stop. That durability and transfer of skills makes CBT a stronger option in terms of long-term relapse prevention, which is why this statement aligns with the best-supported understanding. The other statements don’t fit because motivational interviewing focuses primarily on building motivation, CBT clearly impacts relapse through skills, and CBT can be effective without pharmacotherapy.