AARON BECK
By Fu Hong Master Ph.D and Kelton Jempson Ph.D
WHO!?
 Was born July 18th 1921 in Providence, Rhode Island
 His parents were immigrants from Russia
 Famous psychologist who pioneered in CBT( Cognitive
Behavior Therapy).
 He went to Brown University and Yale University,
established as a psychiatrist.
WHO?! Cont.
 He has received over fifty awards from various
organizations and schools
 Ex: Presidential Award for Distinguished Lifetime Contributions
to the Public Understanding of Psychology – 2008 American
Psychological Association Division of Media Psychology
 Award for Outstanding and Innovative Research into the
Detection and Treatment of Suicidal Individuals – 2000 American
Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Greater Philadelphia Chapter
 His theory of cognitive therapy came from his frustration
after a life threatening illness from an infection as a child
 He taught himself to work through his issues cognitively,
sparking his theories later on
Theories
 Aaron Beck is the father of Cognitive psychology and
over his life and career has refined cognitive psychology.
 His research in cognitive psychology fundamentally
changed the way psychopathology was viewed and its
treatment was conducted.
 Some Measures he created:
 Beck Depression Inventory
 Beck Anxiety Inventory
 Beck Hopelessness Scale
 Beck Youth Inventory
 Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation
Theories Cont.
 Beck invented Cognitive Therapy when testing
psychoanalytical concepts of depression
 When the results he got were different then
expected, he searched for different ways of
conceptualizing depressions
 He then noticed that his patients had negative
thoughts falling into 3 different categories:
Themselves, the world and the future
Theories Cont.
 Beck started his treatment by engaging in conversation
with the clients about their negative thoughts
 He noticed that his patients started thinking more
realistically after discussing their negative thoughts,
leading to better emotions
Measures
 Beck Depression Inventory
 Test used for measuring depression severity
 21 question self reported questionnaire
 Beck Anxiety Inventory
 21 question self reported questionnaire
 Designed to reduced overlap with depression
symptoms
 Beck Hopelessness Scale
 20 True or false question self reported questionnaire
 Measures 3 aspects of hopelessness: feelings about
the future, loss motivation, and expectations
How was Psychology Changed?
 Creation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy,
and it’s use to treat many mental illnesses
 Numerous highly validated measures
currently in use today
Bibliography
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http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n_GRtwChAgc/TdGTvgxyfAI/AAAAAAAAAKM/Pz9jBntGNpo/s1600/aaron%20beck.jpg

http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/famous_psychologist_and_psychologists/psychologist_famous_a
aron_beck.htm

http://www.med.upenn.edu/suicide/beck/index.html

http://www.beckinstitute.org/what-is-cognitive-behavioral-therapy/

http://hcr3.webofknowledge.com/author.cgi?id=1645&cb=3391
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http://www.cognitivetherapynyc.com/CMFiles/Images/IMG_1508.jpg
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http://www.heinzawards.net/pub/recipients/photos/aaron-beck.jpg
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http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ljgqu32tFx1qdz4lko1_400.jpg