ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a brief introduction to the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in psychotherapy research aimed primarily at the informed clinician or investigator and with the goal of facilitating an understanding of study design and interpretation of research findings. The selection of tasks for use in fMRI paradigms is akin to the selection of psychological tests in clinical assessment or the selection of process and outcome measurement tools in psychotherapy research in general. Neuroimaging methods allow for assessment of brain function and provide a valuable means for examining the associations among neurobiology, cognition, and behavior. The chapter discusses how task selection influences the conclusions that can be drawn from fMRI studies of psychotherapeutic intervention and close with recommendations and caveats for the consumer of fMRI/psychotherapy research.
