CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)

KVT is the common German abbreviation for cognitive behavioral therapy. It refers to a recognized psychotherapy method that focuses on specific thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and helps children and adolescents change distressing patterns in small steps. In English, the same method is known as CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). If you’d like to read more about its process, application, and effectiveness, you’ll find a detailed explanation in the main article on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

In doctors’ notes, therapy requests submitted to health insurance companies, or reports from a clinic, “KVT” often appears on its own, without the term being spelled out. The abbreviation is usually used in connection with the planned or recommended treatment method.

On the same forms, parents encounter other abbreviations that can easily be confused. KVT always refers to cognitive behavioral therapy and is part of the broader family of behavioral therapies. These should be distinguished from:

• DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy, a further development that focuses on severe mood swings.
• ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which focuses more on acceptance and personal values.
• IPT: Interpersonal Psychotherapy, which focuses on relationships and interpersonal stressors.

If an abbreviation on a form remains unclear, it’s worth asking the treating practice or clinic for clarification. A child and adolescent psychiatrist (KJP) or a medical or psychotherapeutic specialist will determine which approach is right for your child and whether a disorder is present at all.