Terapia cognitiva construtivista e epistemologia

Abstract

This research addresses the issue of the conceptual framework of Constructivist Therapy, and more specifically, its epistemological affiliations. The importance of this work is based on the fact that constructivism as a therapeutic approach is new and innovative, and their theoretical production has grown significantly, but their epistemological positions remain unclear and few systematic studies. Thus, it becomes a necessity as consistent and clear position on such philosophical understanding, helping the supporters of this current in psychotherapy professionals make their most supported and consistent practice. The objective of this work is to establish the explicitly or implicitly assumed epistemological positions by the main authors of Constructivist Cognitive Therapy and clarify the differences in the epistemological assumptions made by these authors. To achieve these goals were determined in historical and theoretical research leading constructivist authors. Based on the primary sources of the authors in question, a logical analysis of the positions set out to determine the level of consistency of their works in relation to certain declared epistemological theory as a basis was provided as well as the possible existence of a basic core beliefs shared between them. The constructivist approach in Cognitive Therapies constituted a landmark revolution in psychotherapy. This psychotherapeutic approach owes its name to the conception of the processes of obtaining knowledge as being primarily affective, as well as a conception of the human being as active, not passive, in the construction of meanings in lived experience, so that this conception imposes a series of changes and specificities in psychotherapeutic practice. The constructivist psychotherapy presents important differences in their epistemological foundations, so that the assumptions concerning the relative observer/observed, subject/object, to the notion of reality, knowledge and truth, in short, the aspects of the interaction between organism and environment present major variations. Thus, constructivism shares a common epistemological instance, and even with noticeable differences between the various systemic therapies, they agree to consider knowledge as a process of construction, rather than a direct representation of reality. Whereas knowledge of the external world is actively constructed by observing subject in a given social context, the idea that there is a totally true knowledge about reality disappears. Thus, the formulation of that reality can be interpreted in many ways is shared by many constructivists. Constructivist therapists then reject the assumptions of traditional objectivism so that constructivist psychotherapy does not believe in the existence of only one measure of reality and that no level of knowledge can be ultimately validated by any absolute authority.