CBT Flashcards
Aim of CBT?
is to treat behaviour and emotional disorders such as depression, OCD, anger issues. Does this based on Computer Analogy
Describe how the Cognitive Approach is applied in CBT:
Computer Analogy
- Most ppl think that it’s the situations they face in life that (the input) that cause their anger or depression (their output)
- But computer analogy believes that the faulty output is due to irrational or faulty processing
Describe how the Cognitive Approach is applied in CBT: Internal Mental Processes
- Thfr the therapy aims to challenge these dysfunctional internal mental processes and help restructure them into more realistic and positive ones
- For example in therapy the client keeps a dysfunctional thought diary so that they and the therapist gain insight into their faulty mental processes
- And start to challenge them - e.g. by getting the client to rate their belief in their dysfunctional thought, then writing a different more rational thought, then rerating their belief in the original thought. The amount they believe in the original thought should decrease
- During Cognitive Restructuring, the therapist helps the client challenge their current processes and rebuild alternative ways of processing the ‘input’
- Therapist may use ‘empirical disputation’ where they ask the client to provide evidence to support an overly negative thought. The client is not likely to be able to do so and start to see their thoughts are not based on reality
Describe how the Cognitive Approach is applied in CBT: Schemas
- Beck stated that people with depression often have a negative cognitive triad - a set of irrational negative schemas about themselves, the world and the future.
- Again, through cognitive restructuring these are challenged and rebuilt
- In addition, the ‘pleasant activity schedule’ aspect of CBT helps the client see that the world can be a source of enjoyment
- This further helps the client build more positive schemas about the world, future, themselves
Describe the main components of CBT: Dysfunctional Thought Diary
- Form of ‘homework’ that the client is asked to complete between therapy sessions
- Aim is to help the client gain insight into their existing dysfunctional thought processes, and start to consider the alternative rational ways of thinking about events
- Client records negative thoughts they have in response to events that occur and how much they believe in the thought (i am dumb in response to failing an exam)
- They then write an alternative more rational response to the same event
- Client then rerates how much they still believe in the original negative thought
Describe the main components of CBT: Cognitive Restructuring
- Usually happens in therapy sessions
- Can be a challenging part of CBT
- Therapist and client work together to break down existing faulty thought patterns and rebuild them with helpful rational ones
- Therapist uses different methods to dispute the clients’s thoughts e.g. empirical disputation involves asking the client for proof baking up their irrational thought
- In order to help the client realise the thoughts are not based on reality
- Once the faulty thinking has been broken down, the therapist teaches the client new thought processes and behavioural strategies (counting to 10)
Describe the main components of CBT: Cognitive Restructuring
- Client has to plan a pleasant activity each day during therapy (e.g cinema visit)
- It should provide a break from normal routine or provide a sense of achievement
- The pleasant emotions generated by the activity help move the negative cognitive triad to one where the person sees the world and the future as a source of positive experiences
- Client is challenging their negative cognitive triad and build positive schemas about themselves, world & future
- By moving towards engaging in positive activities takes the person further away from their emotional disorder - activating behavioural changes
Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT- Effective at treating serious psychological disorders
POINT
P - Evidence shows that CBT is effective at treating serious psychological disorders
Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT- Effective at treating serious psychological disorders
EVIDENCE
E - Kuipers et al (‘97) - 60 people with medication resistant Schizophrenia were randomly allocated to receive CBT and standard care or standard care alone. 9 months later, 50% in the CBT condition had improved, compared to only 31% in standard care alone condition.
- Only 1 person in CBT condition got worse, 3 worse and 1 comitted suicide in other
Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT- Effective at treating serious psychological disorders
EXPLAIN
E -Suggests CBT in conjunction with normal care can be very effective for treating people with Sz even where medication has failed to help. Can slo limit potential for sucide so is effective at improving Sz and preventing serious consequences of the condition
Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT: CBT is not effective when the ‘input’ is a realistic stressor
POINT
P - CBT is not very effective when input is a realistic stressor
Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT: CBT is not effective when the ‘input’ is a realistic stressor
EVIDENCE
- Simons argues that sometimes the cause of depression or anxiety are genuine negative life events such as bereavement. CBT works on the basis that the person is processing the events in a dysfunctionally negative way. However, it may not be possible to think about realistically bad situations in a more optimistic way
Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT: CBT is not effective when the ‘input’ is a realistic stressor
EXPLAIN
E - this suggests that CBT is only effective in situations where the problem is the result of irrational thoughts to a not-so-serious event
Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT: How good the therapist is
POINT
P - the effectiveness of CBT is partly due to how good the therapist is
Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT: How good the therapist is
EVIDENCE
E - Kuyken & Tsivrikos (‘09) claimed that up to 15% of the variance in the success of CBT may be attributable to the therapist competence (ability to plan and structure sessions)
