cognitive behavioural therapy

• how assumptions are applied

  • human behavior (output) is shaped by our cognitive processes
  • cbt aims to challenge thinking patterns and challenge faulty perceptions eg. negative cognitive triad
  • enables client to form new more positive schemas
• components of cbt

  • dysfunctional thought diary
  • cognitive restructuring
  • pleasant activity scheduling
• dysfunctional thought diary = record negative thoughts experienced in response to an event = rate how much you believe the thought = write down a more rational thought = rate belief in this then re rate belief in original thought = should have decreased
• cognitive restructuring = challenge negative thinking patterns eg. empirical disputation = evidence to back up their thoughts then replace dysfunctional thoughts
• pleasant activity scheduling = do every day to provide an accomplishment or distraction = provide pleasant emotions = gradual change = behavioral activation = replace negative cognitive triad
• effective = supporting evidence = kuipers = 60 medication resistant schizophrenics = randomly allocated to cbt or standard care = 9 oth later 50% improved in cbt vs 31% in standard care and 1 suicide = effective at treatment
• ineffective = varied effectiveness = kuyken = up to 15% variance in success based on therapist = depends on skill
• ineffective = if real life issue = simons = when event causing thoughts are realistic eg. family death = cant be resolved with cbt = doesn't deal with route cause
• unethical = blames client = implies they are at fault = definitely not if realistic thoughts eg. family death
• ethical = empowers individual with methods that can be used in real life like empirical disputation = ethical