CBT

Question 1

Aim of CBT?

Answer 1

is to treat behaviour and emotional disorders such as depression, OCD, anger issues. Does this based on Computer Analogy

Question 2

Describe how the Cognitive Approach is applied in CBT:

Computer Analogy

Answer 2

• Most ppl think that it’s the situations they face in life that (the input) that cause their anger or depression (their output)
• But computer analogy believes that the faulty output is due to irrational or faulty processing

Question 3

Describe how the Cognitive Approach is applied in CBT: Internal Mental Processes

Answer 3

• Thfr the therapy aims to challenge these dysfunctional internal mental processes and help restructure them into more realistic and positive ones
• For example in therapy the client keeps a dysfunctional thought diary so that they and the therapist gain insight into their faulty mental processes
• And start to challenge them - e.g. by getting the client to rate their belief in their dysfunctional thought, then writing a different more rational thought, then rerating their belief in the original thought. The amount they believe in the original thought should decrease
• During Cognitive Restructuring, the therapist helps the client challenge their current processes and rebuild alternative ways of processing the ‘input’
• Therapist may use ‘empirical disputation’ where they ask the client to provide evidence to support an overly negative thought. The client is not likely to be able to do so and start to see their thoughts are not based on reality

Question 4

Describe how the Cognitive Approach is applied in CBT: Schemas

Answer 4

• Beck stated that people with depression often have a negative cognitive triad - a set of irrational negative schemas about themselves, the world and the future.
• Again, through cognitive restructuring these are challenged and rebuilt
• In addition, the ‘pleasant activity schedule’ aspect of CBT helps the client see that the world can be a source of enjoyment
• This further helps the client build more positive schemas about the world, future, themselves

Question 5

Describe the main components of CBT: Dysfunctional Thought Diary

Answer 5

• Form of ‘homework’ that the client is asked to complete between therapy sessions
• Aim is to help the client gain insight into their existing dysfunctional thought processes, and start to consider the alternative rational ways of thinking about events
• Client records negative thoughts they have in response to events that occur and how much they believe in the thought (i am dumb in response to failing an exam)
• They then write an alternative more rational response to the same event
• Client then rerates how much they still believe in the original negative thought

Question 6

Describe the main components of CBT: Cognitive Restructuring

Answer 6

• Usually happens in therapy sessions
• Can be a challenging part of CBT
• Therapist and client work together to break down existing faulty thought patterns and rebuild them with helpful rational ones
• Therapist uses different methods to dispute the clients’s thoughts e.g. empirical disputation involves asking the client for proof baking up their irrational thought
• In order to help the client realise the thoughts are not based on reality
• Once the faulty thinking has been broken down, the therapist teaches the client new thought processes and behavioural strategies (counting to 10)

Question 7

Describe the main components of CBT: Cognitive Restructuring

Answer 7

• Client has to plan a pleasant activity each day during therapy (e.g cinema visit)
• It should provide a break from normal routine or provide a sense of achievement
• The pleasant emotions generated by the activity help move the negative cognitive triad to one where the person sees the world and the future as a source of positive experiences
• Client is challenging their negative cognitive triad and build positive schemas about themselves, world & future
• By moving towards engaging in positive activities takes the person further away from their emotional disorder - activating behavioural changes

Question 8

Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT- Effective at treating serious psychological disorders

POINT

Answer 8

P - Evidence shows that CBT is effective at treating serious psychological disorders

Question 9

Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT- Effective at treating serious psychological disorders

EVIDENCE

Answer 9

E - Kuipers et al (‘97) - 60 people with medication resistant Schizophrenia were randomly allocated to receive CBT and standard care or standard care alone. 9 months later, 50% in the CBT condition had improved, compared to only 31% in standard care alone condition.
- Only 1 person in CBT condition got worse, 3 worse and 1 comitted suicide in other

Question 10

Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT- Effective at treating serious psychological disorders

EXPLAIN

Answer 10

E -Suggests CBT in conjunction with normal care can be very effective for treating people with Sz even where medication has failed to help. Can slo limit potential for sucide so is effective at improving Sz and preventing serious consequences of the condition

Question 11

Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT: CBT is not effective when the ‘input’ is a realistic stressor

POINT

Answer 11

P - CBT is not very effective when input is a realistic stressor

Question 12

Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT: CBT is not effective when the ‘input’ is a realistic stressor

EVIDENCE

Answer 12

• Simons argues that sometimes the cause of depression or anxiety are genuine negative life events such as bereavement. CBT works on the basis that the person is processing the events in a dysfunctionally negative way. However, it may not be possible to think about realistically bad situations in a more optimistic way

Question 13

Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT: CBT is not effective when the ‘input’ is a realistic stressor

EXPLAIN

Answer 13

E - this suggests that CBT is only effective in situations where the problem is the result of irrational thoughts to a not-so-serious event

Question 14

Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT: How good the therapist is

POINT

Answer 14

P - the effectiveness of CBT is partly due to how good the therapist is

Question 15

Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT: How good the therapist is

EVIDENCE

Answer 15

E - Kuyken & Tsivrikos (‘09) claimed that up to 15% of the variance in the success of CBT may be attributable to the therapist competence (ability to plan and structure sessions)

Question 16

Evaluating the effectiveness of CBT: How good the therapist is

EXPLAIN

Answer 16

E - This eans that is difficult to simply claim that CBT isn’t effective. Rather it’s success is partly due to individual differences such as relationship between the therapist and client

Question 17

Evaluating the ethical issues of CBT: individuals = responsible

POINT

Answer 17

The cognitive approach assumes that individuals are responsible for their disorder (thus they have free will over their mental and behavioural conditions)

Question 18

Evaluating the ethical issues of CBT: individuals = responsible

EVIDENCE

Answer 18

• this can be seen as a + thing bc it empowers to change their thoughts
• however it can also be seen as unethical as it ‘blames’ them for the way they think, feel and behave even when there are situational factors that contribute to their disorder which are largely out of the client’s control e,g, a family problem or life event

Question 19

Evaluating the ethical issues of CBT individuals = responsible

EXPLAIN

Answer 19

putting the full responsibility for themselves on the shoulders of somebody who may already be emotionally fragile can indeed seem an unethical approach to therapy

Question 20

Evaluating the ethical issues of CBT - what is an irrational thought

POINT

Answer 20

• another ethical debate urrounds who decides what is an ‘irrational thought’

Question 21

Evaluating the ethical issues of CBT- what is an irrational thought

EVIDENCE

Answer 21

• a “normal” therapist may judge a client’s thoughts to be irrational and decide that they must be changed
• however, ALLOY AND ABRAHAMSON identified the sadder but wiser effect - that depressed people may see things in a more realistic way whereas normal people may distort things in a + way

Question 22

Evaluating the ethical issues of CBT- what is an irrational thought

EXPLAIN

Answer 22

the ethical issue of concern is that it may damage the client’s self esteem (a form of psychological harm) to have tehir thoughts criticised and judged by another person

Question 23

IF THERE A STATEMENT

Answer 23

MAKE SURE TO REFERENCE IT AND LINK BACK THROUGHOUT ANSWER AND CONCLUSION