Cognitive

Question 1

Computor analogy

Answer 1

-The biological brain is known as our hardware of our minds, and the cognitive (internal) processes are out of software.
-The brain has an input of data through our senses, which it processes to produce an appropriate output, e.g, action, feeling, or speech.

Question 2

Internal mental processes

Answer 2

-We use a full range of internal mental processes (attention, perception, memory, language, and thinking).
-The processes are interdependent, so rely on each other, and each has an effect on the other.

Question 3

Schemas

Answer 3

-Schemas are organised pockets of information built up through experience and stored in our long-term memory for future expectations, e.g, dog=fluffy, 4 legs.
-Schemas can be refined through further interactions.

Question 4

Cognition

Answer 4

-Thinking and our mental processes.

Question 5

Anology

Answer 5

-An example that we can compare something to in order to explain it.

Question 6

Hostile attribution bias

Answer 6

-Hostile attribution bias is when someone has a bias towards assuming the worst of people and their intentions, so due to their faulty processing, it produces an aggresive, irrational output.

Question 7

Griffith’s study

Answer 7

-Griffith study looked into gambling addiction through introspection while non-gamblers and gamblers play slot machines.
-Gamblers had more irrational thoughts than non-gamblers, which made it harder for them to leave.

Question 8

Negative cognitive triad

Answer 8

-Aaron Beck gave a cognitive explanation for depression suggesting that it is caused by the negative cognitive triad, which involves a person having negative schema for themselves, the world, and the future.

Question 9

CBT applied to computer analogy

Answer 9

-Most people think it is their ‘input’ that causes anger or depression but CBT says its faulty processing.
-Therapy aims to challenge dysfunctional thoughts and reconstruct healthy realistic thoughts.
-E.g DID and CR

Question 10

CBT applied to schemas

Answer 10

• Beck stated that people with depression have a negative cognitive triad.
  -Through CR, these are challenged and rebuilt along with ‘pleasant activity schedualling’, which helps clients see the world as a place of enjoyment.

Question 11

CBT applied to internal mental processes

Answer 11

-Therapy aims to challenge dysfunctional internal mental processes and help restructure them.
-Creates positive realistic thoughts.
-E.g DID and CR

Question 12

Engagment strategies

Answer 12

-Used at the start of therapies to create a rapport with the client.
-Discusses any worries the client may have about CBT.
-Essential for schizophrenics with paranoia to trust therapists.

Question 13

Congnitive strategies (dysfunctional thought diary)

Answer 13

-Used to identify irrational thoughts and teach patient strategies to challenge them.
-Form homework that involves client recording dysfunctional thoughts and rating how much they believe them from 1-100
Next, they rewrite a positive, healthy alternative thought and rerate how much they believe in their original thought 1-100.

Question 14

Cognitive strategies (Cognitive restructuring)

Answer 14

-Collaborate process between therapist and client to break down faulty thought patterns and rebuild rational ones.
-Therapist may need to be forthright if thoughts are fixed.
-Empirical dispution is often used, which involves asking the client to provide evidence to back up negative thoughts, which they often can’t.

Question 15

Behavioural skills

Answer 15

-Teaches the patient behaviours that will help them manage their symptoms
-Pleasant activity schedualling is used to plan something that produces a sense of acomplishment each day, e.g, running.
-Distracts from negative thoughts and reinforces good schemas.
-Clients gradually changing their behaviour is known as behavioural activation.

Question 16

Evidence to support CBT helping serious psychological disorders (Effectiveness strength)

Answer 16

Point: Evidence shows that CBT is effective at treating serious psychological disorders.
Evidence: Kuipers et al. (‘97)- 60 people with medication resistant schizophrenia received CBT and standard care or standard care alone. 9 months later, 50% in CBT condition improved compared to 31% in the standard care alone condition. 1 person committed suicide in CBT condition compared to 3 in standard care condition.
Explain: Suggest CBT in conjunction sigh normal care can be effective for treating schiz if medication had failed. Also limits suicide potential.

Question 17

CBT has been found effective at modifying criminal behaviour (Effectiveness strength)

Answer 17

Point: Evidence supporting the use of CBT for modifying criminal behaviour.
Evidence: Landberger and Lipsey reviewed 58 studies of CBT with offenders. 20 of the studies used AM techniques, and the element of anger management was significantly related to improving the crimanals behaviour.
Explain: Suggests anger management (CBT) is successful in reducing anger, which has benefits for both offenders and society in helping reduce reoffenders.

Question 18

CBT is not effective for all patients with depression and anxiety (Effectiveness weakness)

Answer 18

Point: CBT is not effective when the “input” is a realistic stressor.
Evidence: Simons argues that sometimes depression is caused by a negative life event. CBT works on the basis that faulty processing is causing mental illness, but it may not be possible to think about bad situations in a positive way.
Explain: Suggests CBT is only effective in situations where the problem is faulty processing causing irrational thoughts to a not-so-serious event.

Question 19

CBT requires commitment and motivation (Effectiveness weakness)

Answer 19

Point: CBT may not be effective for everyone as it requires commitment and motivation for the client.
Evidence: In treating schiz, Tarrier reported that 45% of his sample refused to cooperate with CBT. Also, in the use of CBT with criminals, some dont like to refelct on their way of thinking, so they may drop out.
Explain: Suggest CBT is not appropriate for all individuals as it requires the ability to commit time and effort and reflect on thoughts.

Question 20

Effectiveness conclusion ideas

Answer 20

-CBT is still a dominant therapy used in clinical psychology and is considered effective for treating a range of mental health issues.
-Divided opinions as to whether CBT treats the root cause of a disorder. Some argue that it simply helps control irrational thinking, whereas other therapies would target the cause.
-CBT is often delivered alonside drugs to increase effectiveness
-More expensive in shlrt term but is more cost effective over time if it works.

Question 21

CBT avoids chemical straightjacket (Ethical issues strength)

Answer 21

Point: Allows patient to use their free will and avoids the chemical straightjacket that drugs impose.
Evidence: CBT gives the patient control over their thoughts rather than taking drugs, which control their mind and body. It acknowledges the role of free will and encourages clients to be independent.
Explain: CBT is a more ethical method than drug therapy or dream analysis, and clients are not overly reliant on therpaist to overcome issues.

Question 22

CBT could cause psychological harm due to blame (Ethical issues weakness)

Answer 22

Point: CBT can also be seen as unethical and may cause psychological harm.
Evidence: CBT blames individuals for the way they think, feel, and behave even when they may be situational factors that contribute to their disorder and are out of their control. Alloy and Abrahamson identified the “sadder but wiser” effect where depressed people see things in a more realistic way, whereas normal people may distord things in a positive way.
Explain: CBT may damage clients’ self-esteem, and putting responsibility on an already fragile person can cause psychological harm, which is unethical.

Question 23

CBT can be viewed as empowering (Ethical issues strength)

Answer 23

Point: A strength of CBT is that it is a therapy that empowers the individual.
Evidence: Clients doing CBT are encouraged to realise that while they can do little about the stressors (Input), they can change the way they process life events and, therefore, their behaviour.
Explain: Can be seen as ethically positive as it prevents feelings of helplessness during difficult times. CBT can be seen to teach ‘techniques for life’.

Question 24

CBT has a lack of volentary consent (Ethical issues weakness)

Answer 24

Point: CBT is unethical due to a lack of voluntary consent from vulnerable individuals.
Evidence: CBT is often used with criminals for anger management and when treating vulnerable schiz patients. Criminals are often required to take part as a condition of their probation.
Explain: Forced participation of vunerbale individuals is against ethical codes of therpists, so it can be argued that CBT as a method can be unethical.

Question 25

Ethical issues conclusion ideas

Answer 25

-Psychological therpies such as CBT are generally viewed as more ethical than biological ones like drug therapy.
-Often ethically sound as it teaches strategies to prevent feelings of helplessness compared to aversion therapy.
-There are benefits to CBT, but they need to be weighed up to the costs (Psychological harm)