PSYCHOLOGICAL TREATMENTS (COGNITIVE RESTRUCTING, BECK 1979) Flashcards
What is cognitive restructuring?
- A therapeutic technique used to treat depression (and other disorders).
- It focuses on identifying, challenging and changing negative and distorted thought patterns (and replacing them with more rational ones)
- to improve emotional well-being.
Who proposed cognitive restructuring?
- Aaron Beck, 1979
What is the aim of cognitive restructuring?
- “To gain entry into the patient’s cognitive organisation”
What is cognitive restructuring based on?
- Aaron Beck’s Cognitive Triad (1979)
Can you name the 4 key parts of cognitive restructuring?
- Education.
- Monitoring techniques.
- Application (reality testing, reattribution)
- End goal
EMAE
Can you describe the ‘Education’ stage of cognitive restructuring?
- Rationale- The therapist explains the purpose and goals of the therapy.
- Cognitive triad- Explains the theory of depressive disorder (cognitive triad)
- Recognition- Helps the patient to recognise that their way of thinking about themselves and the world contribute to their depressive disorder.
Explanation of the cognitive triad- key part of the therapy
Can you explain the ‘monitoring’ stage of cognitive restructuring?
- The patient learns to monitor (record) negative automatic thoughts and negative schemes.
- Why? Recognise irrational beliefs / links between thoughts, feelings, behaviours.
Can you describe the ‘application’ stage of cognitive restructuring?
- The patients are directed to ‘catch’ automatic, dysfunctional thoughts outside of therapy (in a real-life context)
- These thoughts can be dicussed and challenged in therapy to explore whether they ‘re an accurate reflection of reality. (reality testing)
What is reality testing?
Part of the application stage
- A process in which the therapist pushes the patient to examine whether their negative thoughts are accurate reflections of reality (realistic)
A student thinks, “I’m going to fail my exam.” Their therapist asks, “What evidence do you have for that? Have you failed past exams?” This helps the student see that their fear may not be based on facts.
What is reattribution?
Part of the cognitive restructuring phase
- A technique in which the patient re-evalutes the causes of an event
- Shifting blame from themselves or external factors for a more balanced perspective.
A person believes, “It’s all my fault my friend is upset.” Their therapist helps them consider other reasons, like “Maybe they had a bad day, and it’s not entirely because of me.”
When is the therapy considered finished?
- When the patient can employ cognitive restructuring for themselves.
- They can see a reduction in depressive symptoms
What was the aim of Wiles et al’s. (201) study?3
- To investigate whether CBT could reduce depressive symptoms in those who do not respond to anti-depressants.
How many ppts were in Wiles et al (2013) study?
- 496 ppts (diagnosed with depression)
What was the procedure of the study? (Wiles et al, 2013)
- PPts were randomly allocated to either:
1. Continued usual care (anti-depressants as treatment)
2. CBT as treatment
What were the results of Wiles et al (2013) study?
- Thoes who recieved CBT as treatment were 3x more likely to respond to treatment and experience a reduction in symptoms.
When did Wiles et al’s study published?
2013
Explain one strength of cognitive restructuring?
- Long-Term benefits: Unlike medication, which only manages symptoms,
- cognitive restructuring teaches people lifelong skills to change negative thought patterns (in various situations)
==== helping prevent relapse, and empowers the individual to handle challenges.
A person who learns to challenge self-critical thoughts (“I’m not good enough”) can apply this skill to future situations, such as job interviews or relationships, leading to better mental resilience and emotional stability.
Explain one weakness of cognitive restructuring?
- Requires Motivation and Effort – The technique demands active participation/self-awareness/ and practice (as they need to identify, challenge and change negative thoughts)
- May be unsuited for - severe depression (too hopeless), highly anxious (struggle to confront distressing thoughts)
A person with depression may think, “I’m worthless and nothing will ever change.” Even if a therapist encourages them to challenge this thought, their lack of motivation may make it hard for them to believe or engage in the process.
What is the cognitive triad?
- Psychological model used to explain how negative thinking patterns contribute to depression.
- It identifies 3 types of negative thoughts (negative view of the self, world, future)
Negative view of the self – e.g., “I’m worthless.”
Negative view of the world – e.g., “The world is unfair.”
Negative view of the future – e.g., “Things will never get better.”
