The cognitive model of abnormality

1
The cognitive model of abnormality!

• By Nikki and Amrita

2
The cognitive model

• The cognitive model states that maladaptive
  behaviour is caused by irrational or faulty
  cognitive processes.
• Key areas
• Making incorrect inferences, Being dominated by a
  must factor in decisions and thoughts through
  out life.
• The cognitive triad
• Treatment (cognitive restructuring)
• Ethnical issues
• Support and limitations.

3
Making incorrect inferences

• Individuals who suffer from mental disorder have
  distorted and/or irrational thinking.
• They often have a must quality about them.
• Beck argued that psychological problems may
  result from
• Faulty learning
• Making incorrect interferences on the basis of
  inadequate information.
• Not distinguishing between reality and
  imagination.
• cognitive model
  faulty learning
• behaviour model
  faulty behaviour
• (through watching and copying)

4
The cognitive triad
Beck argued that therapy for depressives should
involve uncovering and challenging the negative
and unrealistic beliefs of depressants.
5
I am helpless and inadequate the person
experiences distorted views about themselves.
I am worthless so theres no chance of a future
being better that the present. the person feels
there is no point in trying to get better as the
future will never be better than the present
time.
the world is full of insuperable obstacles the
person feels that all the world is against them.
6
Treatment

• Abnormal behaviour is dealt with by altering the
  faulty thinking which has caused it. Cognitive
  therapy consists of 5 stages

Establish a connection between the cognitive
effect and the faulty thinking (behaviour)
Monitor the cognitions
Examine the evidence for and against thoughts.
Try to substitute negative thoughts for more
realistic reasonable thoughts.
Learn to identify and alter the beliefs that
predispose the patients to distort their
experiences and thoughts.
7
Ethnical issues

• The model implies that the disorder is the
  individuals fault. Patients however may find
  accepting responsibility for their mental illness
  extremely stressful.
• It may be unfair to blame individuals for their
  disorders, because other people/environments/varia
  bles may be mainly responsible.
• The negative beliefs may be rational and reflect
  accurately unfortunately circumstances in which a
  person is living.

8
In Support

• Research has tended to explore links between
  disorders and the way in which people think, as
  well as seeing if changing patients thinking
  patterns improves their condition.
• Beck and Clark (1988) found that distorted and
  irrational beliefs are common among patients with
  mental disorders, most notably anxiety disorders
  and depression.
• Lewinsohn at al (2001) suggest that distorted
  beliefs may play a part in the development of
  depression.
• The model focuses on peoples experiences,
  feelings and interpretations.
• It gives people power to change and increase
  their self belief.
• A positive ethnical point is that it allows the
  person to take responsibility for changing their
  undesirable behaviour.

9
Problems and limitations

• The model is limited in its application in that
  it works better with anxiety disorders than
  schizophrenia.
• It tends to ignore other possible causes such as
  genetics or faulty biochemistry.
• It is unclear whether the negative thinking is
  the cause of the depression or actually the
  result of the depression.
• It could be argued that this model implies that
  the person is responsible for their unhappiness.

10
The end!