Cognitive Therapy - CBT Flashcards
(18 cards)
How is the cumputer analogy applied in CBT?
Most people think situations they face in life (input) causes their anger or depression (output) whereas the cognitive approach believes faulty outputs are due to faulty or irrational processing
How is internal mental processes applied in CBT?
Aims to challenge dysfunctional internal mental processes help restructure into more realistic positive ones, dysfunctional thought diary to gain an insight into faulty mental processes and start to challenge them. During cognitive restructuring the therapist challanges current processes and rebuilds alternative ways of processing inputs like empirical disputation
How are schemas applied in CBT?
Negative cognitive triad in depression, irrationally negative schemas about themselves the world and future. Challenged and rebuilt. Planned activity scheduling helps client see world as source of enjoyment. Helps client build positive schemas about the world future and themselves
What are the main components of CBT?
- engagement strategies
- cognitive strategies
- behavioural skills
What does the engagement strategies part of CBT involve?
Used at the start to build a rapport with the client and discuss any worries about CBT, this would be especially important for someone with schizophrenia if the client is in a paranoid state the therapist needs to gain their trust
What are cognitive strategies used for in CBT?
To help the client identify irrational thoughts and teach them strategies to challenge disordered thoughts. There may be several different strategies the therapist uses.
What is a dysfunctional thought diary (as part of cognitive strategies)?
Form of homework client is asked to complete between sessions, to gain insight into existing dysfunctional thought processes and recognise faulty thinking patterns for themselves, ck sided other rational ways, record negative automatic thoughts/emotions towards an event and how much they believe in this thought e.g. “I am thick” in response to failing an exam on scale 1-100, write an alternative more rational response to same event e.g, “didn’t revise properly but understand in class so may have failed because of lack of preparation”, client rerates how much they believe in original thought having considered alternative thoughts the belief in original thought should decrease.
Situation -> thoughts -> emotions -> behaviours -> alternative thoughts -> change to emotions
What is cognitive restructuring (in cognitive strategies)?
Identify and challenge irrational thinking (identified via thought diary) therapist works with the client to help break down faulty thoughts ans rebuild with positive rational ones, may be challenging if negative thoughts are fixed, therapist may need to be forthright in helping, may use empirical disputation which is asking for evidence to back up their thoughts, empirical meaning evidence based, client may think ‘I am useless at everything’ therapist may ask for evidence that they have never succeeded in anything by not being able to back it up it helps the client understand the thoughts are not realit ans need to change them
What are behavioural skills in CBT?
Teaches the patient behaviours that will manage their symptoms, once dysfunctional thoughts have been broken down and alternative ways if thinking have been built, behavioural skills stop the automatically faulty thoughts from kicking back in for example counting to 10 before responding to a situation
What is pleasant activity scheduling (part of behavioural skills)?
Plan a pleasant activity each day during therapy, produces a sense of accomplishment (going for a run) or total break from routine (cinema) provide pleasant emotions, distract person from negative thoughts, reinforcing positive view of world (helping build positive schemas about themselves future and world), client is gradually changing behaviour (behavioural activation) taking steps towards positive experiences moves client away from negative thinking and maladaptive behaviour
What evidence is there to show CBT is effective in treating serious psychological disorders?
Kuipers et al (1997) 60 people with medication resistant schizophrenia randomly allocated to receive CBT and standard care (medication) or just standard care, 9 months later CBT condition 50% improved and only 1 getting worse, whereas only 31% in control condition improving and 3 gotten worse 1 committing suicide, very effective for treating people with schizophrenia where medication hasn’t helped using CBT in conjunction with standard care, also limits potential for suicide so effective in improving schizophrenia ans preventing serious consequences
How is CBT effective in modifying criminal behaviour?
Landberger and lipsey reviewed 58 studies of CBT with offenders. 20 used anger management techniques, element of anger control significantly related to improvement in offenders behaviour, CBT us successful in reducing anger and aggression, benefits fir offenders and society, helping reduce reoffending of anger related crimes
Why is CBT not effective if the input is a realistic stressor?
Simons argues the causes of depression or anxiety are sometimes genuine negative life events like bereavement or serious illness, CBT works by the fact that the person is processing events in a dysfunctional y negative way, may not be possible to think about realistically bad situations in a more optimistic way, suggests CBT is only effective situations where problem is result of irrational thoughts to a not so serious event
Why might CBT not be effective for everyone due to commitment and motivation?
Tarrier reported 45% of sample refused to comply with programme and dropped out (schizophrenia), some offenders do not want to reflect on their way of thinking so may drop out of anger management programmes, not appropriate for everyone, requires time effort willingness commitment to reflect and challenge thought processes
Why is an ethical strength of CBT that it allows patients to use free will and avoids chemical straight jacket?
Allows patients to take control over thoughts and change them and acknowledge free will encourages patient to take control over thoughts rather than drugs taking control over mind and body, more ethical way of treating mental disorders such as dream analysis or drug therapy as clients aren’t overly reliant on someone/something else to overcome their issues
Why is an ethical weakness of CBT psychological harm?
Blames individuals for way they think feel and behave (even when situational factors beyond clients control contribute to disorder for example family or life problem), consideration of who decides what an irrational thought is. Alloy and abrahamson - sadder but wiser effect - depressed people see things in a more realistic way whereas normal people distor things in a positive way, damage clients self esteem as having thoughts criticised and judged by another person, full responsibility on someone who may already be emotionally unstable, cause psychological harm and unethical approach to therapy
Why is empowering the individual an ethical strength of CBT?
Encourages to realise that even though they can’t control stresses (input) they can change the way they process life events, change behaviour emotions because if this, ethically positive element can prevent feelings of helplessness during difficult times, ‘techniques for life’ can be used in future outside of therapy if symptoms return
Why is the lack of voluntary consent in CBT an ethical weakness?
Often used on criminals in prison and vulnerable schizophrenic patients, criminals often required to take part in anger management programmes as a condition of their probation, forced participation for vulnerable indivusaks against ethical code if therapists, CBT as a method of treating certain mental issues/behaviours is unethical
