3 - Clinical Assessment, Diagnosis and Psychological Treatment

Question 1

What is important to discuss and understand in CBT assessment?

Answer 1

Antecedents, beliefs, consequences
What maintains distress (‘hot cross bun’ formulation)
What significant life experiences might have contributed to unhelpful core beliefs, maladaptive assumptions and rules for living (longitudinal formulation)

Question 2

What are some sources of psychological assessment?

What are the characteristics of psychological assessment tools?

Answer 2

Clinical interviews (individuals, family, etc.)
Behavioural observation (interaction, problem solving, etc.)
Self-report questionnaires and neuropsychological test batteries

Reliable, valid, standardised

Question 3

What is the therapeutic alliance about?

Answer 3

Trust and rapport, therapeutic relationship promotes greater openness and collaboration and vice versa

Question 4

What are the key targets of CBT interventions?

Answer 4

Unhelpful, maladaptive cognitions
Maladaptive, dysfunctional behaviour that maintains cycle of distress
Unhelpful information processing changes

Question 5

What are some cognitive biases?

Answer 5

Ignoring the good
Fortune telling
Blowing things up
Mind reading
Negative labelling
"Should" statements
Self-blaming
Setting the bar too high
Feelings as facts

Question 6

What are some characteristics of CBT?

Answer 6

Formulation based approach
Focus on cognitive mediation
'Here and now' approach
Continuum approach
Therapeutic alliance
Active and structured sessions
Therapautic tasks assignments
Guided discovery