Week 5: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

Question 1

Describe the two basic assumptions of CBT

Answer 1

Based on learning theories with the addition of cognitions (thoughts, memories, images, attitudes, expectations)

Cognitive change leads to behavioural and emotional change

Question 2

What is the ABC model

Answer 2

A = antecedents
B = beliefs about the antecedents
C = consequences (behaviour/emotion)

Question 3

Describe Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) by Ellis

Answer 3

People are rarely emotionally affected by external events but by their thinking about such events

Two types of belief:
Rational - those that help us achieve our goals
Irrational - rigid and demanding ‘musts’ and ‘shoulds’

Question 4

Describe Cognitive Behaviour Modification by Meichenbaum

Answer 4

Clients are taught to modify the instructions they give themselves to cope more effectively with problems

Emphasis on learning practical coping skills for challenging situations (aggressive behaviour, taking tests, public speaking)

Question 5

What did Beck’s early work in depression theorise?

Answer 5

Automatic thoughts are triggered by a stimulus and lead to an emotional response

Question 6

What are Beck’s Cognitive Distortions and give some examples

Answer 6

Thinking errors or unhelpful styles that can characterise a person’s thinking.

E.g., mental filter, all or nothing thinking, over-generalising, jumping to conclusions, should/must, disqualifying the positive, gambler fallacy (repeated ‘heads’ coin increases the likelihood of a future ‘tails’ coin

Question 7

What are the three factors of CBT formulation?

Answer 7

1. Presenting problems
2. Contributing factors
3. Maintaining factors

Question 8

What five factors are emphasised by all CBT approaches?

Answer 8

1. Structured, content driven therapy
2. Role of homework
3. Clients responsibility to take an active role
4. Range of cognitive and behaviour strategies
5. Educational in style

Question 9

What is the the three roles of a therapist in CBT?

Answer 9

Active role - set agenda with the client, structure sessions

Educational - teach clients the cognitive model and how to identify and challenge distorted thinking; prepare materials; provide information

Guidance and support

Question 10

What are the three roles of a client in CBT?

Answer 10

1. Learner
2. Active participant in session
3. Complete homework assignments

Question 11

What are the 7 factors of a general treatment plan in CBT?

Answer 11

1. Intake
2. Assessment
3. Pyschoeducation
4. Goal setting
5. Behavioural activation and other behavioural interpretations
6. Cognitive interventions
7. Relapse prevention

Question 12

What are the three different levels of cognition?

Answer 12

1. Automatic thought (I give up, this assignment is too hard)
2. Intermediate belief (if I don’t get my assignment done, I’ll fail the course)
3. Core belief (I am a failure)

Question 13

What are the 7 elements of cognitive restructuring in CBT?

Answer 13

1. Psychoeducation
2. Identifying distorted automatic thoughts
3. Questioning automatic thoughts
4. Replacing distorted automatic thoughts with positive, accurate, helpful statements
5. Reframing
6. Behavioural assignments
7. Homework

Question 14

What are coping statements?

Answer 14

Positive realistic statements to replace negative automatic thoughts

Question 15

What is activity scheduling?

Answer 15

Scheduling small, manageable, pleasant and mastery activities each day.

Question 16

What are four limitations of CBT?

Answer 16

1. De-emphasis on influence of past experiences
2. lack of importance of the therapeutic relationship
3. Uncommon to evoke and address strong emotions during session
4. Significant minority of clients don’t respond to cognitive therapy

Question 17

What is Beck’s Negative Cognitive Triad

Answer 17

The ‘negative cognitive triad’ - overly negative and persistent thinking about the self, world (others and events) and the future