Cognitive-Behavioral for Couples and Families

Question 1

Assumption of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Answer 1

Behaviors are learned and can therefore be replaced or reduced.

Question 2

Classical Conditioning

Answer 2

Pairing a reflexive response with a neutral stimulus.

Question 3

Systemic Desensitization was developed by Joseph Wolpe to treat

Answer 3

phobias

(A phobia is a classically conditioned response to a behavior that is not dangerous.) This therapy relies on deconditioning.

Question 4

Skinner is responsible for work that fleshed out the principals of

Answer 4

operant conditioning.

Increasing or decreasing the likelihood of a response.
— the mouse OPERATES the lever and is rewarded with food—

Question 5

Skinner’s work emphasizing current conditions promoting the behavior was in opposition to the vastly popular

Answer 5

psychodynamic work the emphasized intra-psychic causes of behavior.

Question 6

These theorists noted that children/adults learn through ______________ which does not need reward or punishment.

Answer 6

Bandura and Walters

Imitation

Question 7

While clinicians could teach couples to modify each other’s behavior, this process broke down based on

Answer 7

the meaning that each member attributed to the partner’s actions. This discovery launched cognitive therapies.

Question 8

Some Theorists in the behavioral school recognized and appreciated the power of attribution of meaning to a partner’s behavior had on how that behavior was received. Some of these theorists were:
They developed:

Answer 8

a) Ellis, Beck, and Meichenbaum.

b) Cognitive therapies

Question 9

Cognitive therapies emphasize

Answer 9

how internal thought processes are subject to distortion and this subjectivity influences individual’s emotional and behavioral responses.

Question 10

Cognitive Therapists focus on assessing and modifying cognitions this will include:

Answer 10

a) distinguishing between accurate and inaccurate perceptions
b) restructuring inaccurate perceptions

Question 11

Behavioral and Cognitive therapies have been challenged by systems theorist due to the criticism that they are too

Answer 11

linear - promoting linear causal thinking. This criticism not fully accurate because it does not consider mutual circular influences involving family members

Question 12

James Alexander is responsible for this integration of systems and behavior to treat families.

Answer 12

Functional Family Therapy (FFT) assume that the consequence achieved by a negative behavior are reinforcing even if this is not known consciously. So find another way of arriving at the desired consequence.

Question 13

Bandura is known for his development of the theory of

Answer 13

Social Learning Principals

Question 14

Cognitive-behavioral therapist’s job is to help the couple understand the circular nature of their interaction and motivate each person to modify his or her contribution to it.

Question 15

Coercive Family systems (threats/punishment to control children) often produce children who are

Answer 15

aggressive as children are using aversive behavior (per pattern learned within the family) to try to influence the parents

Question 16

Which type of reinforcement schedule produces the greatest persistent behavior change?

Answer 16

Intermittent

Question 17

The tendency of the parents to notice a child’s negative behavior

Answer 17

negative tracking

Question 18

In summary cognitive-behavioral therapists believe that

Answer 18

a person’s emotional and behavioral responses to life events depend on the particular thought the person has about those events.

Question 19

A leading theorist in CBT is

Answer 19

Arron Beck

Question 20

Beck’s CBT focuses on helping people to learn to do this sequence of things:

Answer 20

a) identify aspects of their thinking that are contributing to negative emotions and behavior
b) test the validity of their thoughts
c) replace distorted cognitions with more realistic ones.

Question 21

Beck focuses on supporting 2 new behaviors:

Answer 21

1) recognizing automatic thoughts

2) noticing schemas

Question 22

Cognitive Distortions are

Answer 22

errors in processing information of which there are several which BECK identifies

Question 23

Name 5 cognitive distortions

Answer 23

• over-generalization
• personalization
• mind reading
• dichotomous thinking
• selective abstraction - focus on one aspect
• magnification / minimization- something is perceived as more/less important than it is

Question 24

Selective perception

Answer 24

CBT - same as selective abstraction - paying selective attention to some aspect of behavior

Question 25

Attributions

Answer 25

inferences - correct, incorrect or on the spectrum - about the cause of a behavior

Question 26

Expectancies

Answer 26

distorted processing of information predicting the probability of some behavior

(he isn’t going to come if I call him.)

Question 27

Three cognitive distortions that are important in couples/family therapy involving information-processing errors.

Answer 27

1) selective perception
2) attribution
3) expectancies

Question 28

schemas

Answer 28

long-standing beliefs of “knowledge structures” that the individual has about characteristics of people, objects, relationship etc.

stable ways that a person understands her world

Question 29

Cognitive distortions shape the form of a person’s thoughts. Schemas effect the

Answer 29

content of thoughts. (Assumptions & Standards)

Question 30

TWO important schemas important to couple and family therapy:

Answer 30

1) assumptions

2) standards

Question 31

assumptions

Answer 31

a type of schema (beliefs) that an individual has about typical characteristics of people and objects and the relationship between them.

Question 32

standards

Answer 32

beliefs about the way that people, relationships, and events “should” be.

Standards vary in how realistically they represent the possibilities of real life.

Question 33

Inventory of specific Relationship Standards (ISRS) measures what 3 things:

concerning 12 different areas of relationship (affection, sex, household tasks, finances, expression of positive and negative feelings)

Answer 33

Standards about

• Boundaries (togetherness/independence)
• Investment of time and energy in the relationship
• Power/control (how it should be used in the couple’s relationsip

Question 34

explain sentiment override

Answer 34

a person’s preexisting overall feelings about a spouse determines the person’s cognitions and behavior toward the spouse more than the spouse’s current behavior does.

Question 35

emotional reasoning

Answer 35

individual relies on cues of his or her emotions as signs of “Truth” (feel blah - can’t do anything)]

Question 36

good functioning of a couple or family depends upon this dual