Cognitive Approach to Psycho Pathology

8/2/2019 Cognitive Approach to Psycho Pathology

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COGNITIVE APPROACH TO

PSYCHOPATHOLOGY

Understand how the cognitive approach explains mental illness in terms

of beliefs, thoughts and perceptions


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Learning objectives

By the end of the lesson youll be able to:

Describe and explain the principles andassumptions of the cognitive approach, andhow it explains psychopathology.

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses ofthese explanations.


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The approaches to psychopathology

1. On your own, think whatthe principles andassumptions are for theprevious 3 approaches to

psychopathology.

2. Turn to the other personin your pair and see what

they came up with.

3. Share these with the restof the class.


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Mental illness is due to cognitive processes (beliefs, thoughts, perceptions)

Cognitive approach

Schemata:

Organised systems of knowledgewe use to understand and

interpret the world

Negative automatic thoughts:Automatically thinking the worst

in every situation

Negative schematacan lead to:


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Features of the cognitive

approach Cognitive biases:

(different types ofnegative automatic

thoughts)

Becks negative triad

Musturbatory beliefs

Ellis ABC model


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Activity

In your groups, readthe materials youvebeen given and discuss

this to make sure youunderstand it.

You then have 10

minutes to prepare toteach this to the rest ofthe class.


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Cognitive bias Explanation

Minimisation Bias towards minimizing success in

life, e.g. excellent exam results due to

luck or easy paper.

Maximisation Bias towards maximising importance

of failures (even small ones), e.g. not

completing cryptic crossword means

youre stupid.

Selective abstraction Bias towards focusing on only the

negative aspects of life and ignoring

wider picture

All or nothing thinking Tendency to see things as one or the

other, e.g. a success or a failure, not

good/bad at different things.

Examples of cognitive biases that may be used by depressed people


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Negative views about the world

everyone is against me becauseIm worthless

Negative views about yourself

Im worthless and inadequate

Negative views about the future

Ill never be good at anything

Becks (1967) cognitive triad model of depression


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I absolutely MUST, under practically all

conditions and at all times, perform well and

win the approval of others. If I fail in these

important respects, that is awful and I am a

bad, incompetent, unworthy person, who willprobably always fail and deserves to suffer

Feelings of anxiety, panic,

depression, despair,

worthlessness.

"Other people MUST treat me nicely,

considerately and fairly. Otherwise, it is terribleand they are rotten, bad, unworthy people who

will always treat me badly and do not deserve

a good life and should be severely punished for

acting so abominably to me."

Feelings of anger, rage,fury and vindictiveness

"The conditions under which I live MUST be

favourable, safe, hassle-free, and quickly and

easily enjoyable, and if they are not that way

it's awful and horrible and I can't bear it. I can't

ever enjoy myself at all. My life is impossible

and hardly worth living."

Feelings of frustration,

discomfort, intolerance,

anger, depression


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AActivating

event

BBeliefs about

this event

CConsequencesof these beliefs

Ellis ABC model:


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Mary tells herself that although it is a sadsituation they were not compatible and

she may learn from the experience

Mary feels sad, but hopeful that she willhave successful future relationships

Mary looks forward to forming newhealthy relationships and tries to learn

from the experience

Desirable behaviour

Desirable emotions

Rational thoughts

Mary tells herself that the break up is herfault and that she is not loveable, and so

will fail at future relationships

Mary feels guilty that she spoilt therelationship and that she is unlovable

Mary resolves not to form newrelationships as she will only fail and get

hurt again

Undesirable behaviour

Undesirable emotions

Irrational thoughts

A: Activating event

Mary and her boyfriend split up

B: Beliefs

about A

C: Consequences of B


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Evaluation

Sometimes negativebeliefs might actuallybe an accurate

reflection of reality.

Depressive realismnot irrational or

maladapative, justrelavant to the lifecircumstances of theindividual.

Documents

Cognitive Approach to Psycho Pathology