Aaron T. Beck

**Aaron Temkin Beck** (July 18, 1921 – November 1, 2021) was an American psychiatrist and a professor emeritus in the department of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania.  He was thought to be as the father of cognitive therapy, and his theories are widely used in the treatment of clinical depression.

## Early life

Beck was born in Providence, Rhode Island to a family of Russian Jewish immigrants. He studied at Brown University and at Yale Medical School.

## Career

Beck also developed self-report measures of depression and anxiety including Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Hopelessness Scale, Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation (BSS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Youth Inventories. Beck is known for his research in psychotherapy, psychopathology, suicide, and psychometrics, which led to his creation of cognitive therapy and the BDI, one of the most widely used instruments for measuring depression severity.

Beck worked with psychologist Maria Kovacs in the creation of the Children's Depression Inventory, which used the BDI as a model.  Beck's work at the University of Pennsylvania inspired Martin Seligman to create his own cognitive techniques and exercises, and later work on learned helplessness.

Beck is the President Emeritus of the non-profit Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy and the Honorary President of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, which certifies qualified cognitive therapists.

## Personal life

Beck married judge Phyllis W. Beck in 1950. Together, they had four children. He lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Beck turned 100 on July 18, 2021 and died later in the year on November 1 at his home in Philadelphia.

## More reading

- Beck, A.T., & Haigh, E. A.-P. (2014).  _Advances in Cognitive Theory and Therapy: The Generic Cognitive Model_. Palo Alto, CA: Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. DOI 10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032813-153734
- Beck, A.T. (1967).  _The diagnosis and management of depression_. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.
- Beck, A.T. (1972).  _Depression: Causes and treatment_. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press.
- Beck, A.T. (1975).  _Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders_. Madison, CT: International Universities Press, Inc.
- Beck, A.T., Rush, A.J., Shaw, B.F., & Emery, G. (1979).  _Cognitive therapy of depression_. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

## Other websites

- Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research
- Cognitive Therapy Today (Beck Institute's Blog)
- Academy of Cognitive Therapy
- Centro de Psicología Aaron Beck España
- The International Institute for the Advanced Studies of Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health
- Charlie Rose interview of Aaron T. Beck and others (video)
- Aaron T. Beck interviewed by daughter Judith Beck (video)

## Infobox (scientist)

- **name**: Aaron T. Beck
- **image**: Liber Brunensis 1942, Aaron T. Beck.jpg
- **birth name**: Aaron Temkin Beck
- **birth place**: Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
- **death place**: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
- **nationality**: Americans, American
- **field**: Psychiatrist
- **work institution**: University of Pennsylvania, Center for the Treatment and Prevention of Suicide
- **alma mater**: Brown University, Yale Medical School
- **known for**: his research on psychotherapy, psychopathology, suicide, and psychometrics
- **prizes**: Grawemeyer Award in Psychology <small>(2004)</small>
Lasker Award <small>(2006)</small>
- **influenced**: Martin Seligman, Judith S. Beck