Chapter 4 - theories Flashcards
Cognitive Behavioral Theory of PTSD
This theory suggests that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are maintained by negative appraisals of the trauma, fragmented trauma memories, and maladaptive coping strategies like avoidance. The idea is that individuals with PTSD continue to feel as though they are under threat because they have not processed the trauma adequately.
A person who survived a car accident might avoid driving altogether because they believe they are still in danger, reinforcing their fear and maintaining their PTSD symptoms.
Emotional Processing Theory (Foa)
This theory suggests that individuals with PTSD develop a fear structure in their memory that is overgeneralized, connecting trauma-related stimuli with danger. Therapy focuses on breaking this structure by reprocessing traumatic memories and learning new, non-threatening associations.
A person who experienced a violent attack might associate loud noises with danger. In therapy, they are exposed to loud noises in a controlled environment to reduce their fear response.
Cognitive Model of PTSD by Ehlers and Clark
Ehlers and Clark’s model emphasizes how trauma survivors interpret their experiences in ways that maintain the sense of threat:
1. Negative appraisals, such as feeling permanently damaged or believing that the world is unsafe, prevent recovery.
2. They also highlight how fragmented trauma memories contribute to reliving experiences without proper context.
A person who survived a disaster might think, “Nowhere is safe,” leading them to avoid public places, which maintains their fear and prevents healing.
Conditioning Theory of PTSD
This theory is based on the idea that PTSD symptoms are maintained through classical conditioning, where trauma-related stimuli (e.g., sounds, smells) trigger conditioned fear responses. Over time, these responses are strengthened, especially if the person avoids trauma-related stimuli, reinforcing the fear.
A veteran may react with intense anxiety to fireworks because they have been conditioned to associate loud noises with combat, leading to panic attacks during public events.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
TF-CBT is an evidence-based treatment that integrates cognitive restructuring with exposure therapy to help individuals reprocess trauma. It involves helping individuals confront and change the meaning of their traumatic experiences and reduce avoidance behaviors.
A person who experienced a traumatic event might repeatedly confront the memory in therapy sessions (imaginal exposure), allowing them to process it more adaptively and reduce its emotional intensity.
cognitive behavioral approach to ptsd:
- negative appraisals
Individuals with PTSD often have excessively negative interpretations of the trauma and its aftermath, such as “I am permanently damaged” or “The world is unsafe.” These appraisals reinforce feelings of danger and vulnerability, preventing recovery.
cognitive behavioral approach to ptsd:
- Avoidance behaviors
Many individuals with PTSD engage in avoidance to cope with distressing trauma reminders. This includes avoiding places, people, or activities associated with the trauma. While avoidance provides temporary relief, it prevents the individual from processing the trauma, maintaining the fear and anxiety linked to PTSD.
cognitive behavioral approach to ptsd:
- fragmented trauma memories
Trauma memories in individuals with PTSD are often recalled in fragmented, distressing ways, without proper context. These disjointed memories lead to re-experiencing symptoms like flashbacks or intrusive memories, making it feel like the trauma is happening again, thus perpetuating the sense of threat.
Comparison between emotional processing theory and ehlers and clark’s cognitive model
Both theories agree that PTSD involves maladaptive responses to trauma, but while Foa focuses on modifying fear responses through exposure, Ehlers and Clark emphasize changing the negative meanings attached to the trauma and integrating fragmented memories.
Core components of TF-CBT
- exposure therapy
- cognitive restructuring
