Table of contentsIntroductionWhat is specific phobiaTypes of specific phobiasThe effectiveness of treating acrophobia with CBTCognitive-behavioral therapyContributions of cognitive approaches -behavioralTherapeutic goalsStrengths and weaknesses of therapyApplicability to multicultural contextsConclusionReference listIntroductionIn order to overcome behavioral problems such as fear or anxiety which may be caused for example by phobias, depression, etc., individuals interact and communicate with family members and trusted friends or seek professional help from a counselor. There are relatively simple forms of psychotherapies that have been practiced by individuals for centuries, but therapists have developed strategies identified as more effective for psychoanalysis. One such approach is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This article will focus on the fear of heights (acrophobia), while discussing the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy in treating this phobia, its application in a multicultural context, and an overview of the therapy and the phobia as a whole. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay What is specific phobiaAccording to the American Psychiatric Association (1994), specific phobia is characterized by a persistent fear of 'a specific fear of a situation or object that causes significant interference or distress in an individual's life. Types of specific phobias Specific phobias are currently divided into four subtypes: situational (e.g., fear of enclosed spaces, flying), natural environmental (e.g., fear of heights, storms, water), animal ( fear of enclosed spaces, water). (e.g., fear of spiders, snakes, dogs) and bloodshot injuries (e.g., fear of seeing blood, dental or medical procedures, and injections). Acrophobia (fear of heights). Acrophobia is a common phobia that becomes apparent when an individual is at higher altitudes, for example; on a high floor of a building, stairs or escalators. As stated by Aaron T. Beck (1976), this specific fear usually concerns falling and being seriously injured or killed. Beck (1976) further explains that some people will have visual fantasies of falling or experience bodily sensations of falling even if they are securely ensconced in a high, safe place. Others are tormented by the idea that they might have an uncontrollable urge to jump or the sensation of an external force pulling them toward the edge of a high place. The effectiveness of treating acrophobia with CBT. In cognitive therapy, patients learn to identify their faults. judgments of threat which maintain the phobic reaction. For example, cognitive techniques include cognitive restructuring and guided threat assessments. The underlying cause of the phobia is fear, i.e. acrophobic individuals have a fear of falling, which is deeply ingrained in an individual's thought (cognitive) process. Cognitive therapy can help individuals overcome it (Jacques, 2017). CBT will target individuals’ fear-inducing thought patterns and change the chain of responses to those thoughts. This will help them identify these thoughts and replace them with more positive, constructive thoughts that will lead to behavior change. Acrophobic individuals have learned to react to a particular situation.CBT will help them unlearn these reactions. Additionally, CBT will help change a person's attitude and behavior by focusing on the images, beliefs, and thoughts deeply rooted in an individual's subconscious. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychosocial therapy that assumes that faulty (cognitive) thought patterns cause maladaptive emotional and behavioral thoughts (Naidu and Ramlall, 2016). “The intervention aims to modify thoughts to resolve psychological problems and change behaviors.” CBT is a goal-oriented therapeutic approach, which shows that emotional behavior disorders are the result of a maladaptive learned response that can be transformed into a healthier response through appropriate training. The integration of thinking, feeling and action is the task of cognitive behavioral therapy and counseling. Naidu and Ramlall (2016) further explain that the CBT approach combines aspects of behavioral change and cognitive reconstruction to modify dysfunctional/non-adaptive behavior of clients; by inspecting difficult beliefs that support maladaptive thought patterns and using behavioral therapy techniques. It is based on the fundamental principle that changing thoughts and/or behaviors can have an effect on the symptoms experienced. According to Naidu and Ramlall (2016), it was developed in the 1960s by leading theorists Aaron Temkin Beck and Albert Ellis. CBT was originally created for depression intervention, but has since been adapted for use in a variety of conditions and disorders. The cognitive behavioral therapist will ultimately be interested in how the individual has developed ideas or cognition about reality, chooses and decides among many possibilities, and acts and behaves in relation to reality. Contributions of cognitive-behavioral approaches Becks cognitive therapy. Beck cognitive therapy uses a wide range of core strategies integrating cognitive and behavioral techniques. Some strategies include: cognitive practice to identify obstacles in thoughts, associate feelings with behaviors by imagining situations in great detail during the session; reality testing, such as finding new ways to respond to negative responses; task assignments and active testing of negative thoughts and assumptions. Modification of Meichenbaum's cognitive behavior. Meichenbaum's stress inoculation approach includes verbal self-instructions and relaxation strategies. The individual learns a programmed succession of verbal self-instructions that enable more rational decision-making when faced with stimuli (Okun & Kantrowits, 2015). Therapeutic Goals The goal of CBT is to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life through the process of replacing maladaptive emotions. , behavioral and cognitive responses with more positive responses. These problematic, cognitive, and emotional behaviors have been learned through experience and therefore can be modified by teaching ways to respond and developing new learning experiences that promote coping patterns and behavioral, cognitive, and emotional responses more adaptive (Frank-McNeil et al., 2014). CBT aims to achieve these changes in a relatively short period of time, focusing on the problem and being time-limited. Continuing, another goal of CBT is to promote long-term, self-sustaining positive effects by equipping clients with tools and their own tools. set of skills to deal with, 28(6), 1021-1037.