This document discusses the key assumptions of the cognitive approach to mental health. It states that: - Individuals with mental disorders have distorted and irrational thinking which can cause maladaptive behavior. - It is usually how one thinks about a problem, rather than the problem itself, that causes psychological issues. - People can overcome disorders by learning more adaptive thinking patterns. If one's thoughts are more positive, their mental state can improve.

1. "We are what we think.
All that we are arises
with our thought. With
our thoughts, we make
our world."
The Buddha

2. Prep
• You have two minutes to write down any two
things you can remember about the cognitive
approach to mental health.

3. Key Assumptions of The Cognitive
Approach
• Individuals who suffer from mental disorders have distorted
and irrational thinking – which may cause maladaptive
behaviour.
• It is the way you think about the problem rather than the
problem itself which causes the mental disorder.
• Individuals can overcome mental disorders by learning to use
more appropriate cognitions. If people think in more positive
ways, they can be helped to feel better

4. Key Assumptions of The Cognitive
Perspective
• Individuals who suffer from mental disorders have distorted
and irrational thinking styles– which may cause maladaptive
behaviour.
• It is usually the way you think about the problem rather than
the problem itself which causes the psychological problems.
• Individuals can overcome mental
disorders by learning to use more
appropriate cognitions (thought processes).

6. Example:
Emma overhears a remark made in class:
‘She really gets on my nerves’.
It could have referred to anyone but
Emma automatically thinks that it is
about her and assumes she is unworthy
and people don’t want to be friends with
her. She withdraws from the friendship
group and as a result becomes more and
more isolated and depressed.

8. E x a m p l e :
It is your birthday and you are given a surprise invitation
to meet your friends at lunchtime to celebrate. You are
disappointed to find your best friend does not join you
and sends no reason or apology.
Thoughts
Emotions
Behaviour
Irrational/negative Rational/positive
He/she is annoyed with
But won’t say why you
Maybe he/she was under
pressure with work etc,
something urgent came up
and his/her phone has died
Hurt and upset. Perhaps
you aren’t such good friends
after all
Disappointed, but sure you’ll
get together soon to
celebrate
Treat him/her with cool
detachment next time you
meet
Message or ring him/her to
arrange to meet

9. Complete the activity -
You see your boyfriend in Starbucks with a girl

10. Example:
You see your boyfriend in
Starbucks with a girl
Thoughts
Emotions
Behaviour
Irrational/negative Rational/positive

11. Aaron Beck
• Beck believed that people who are
depressed make fundamental errors
in thinking.
• People who have become depressed
have negative self-schemas
• They have a tendency to view
themselves, the world and the future
in pessimistic ways – the triad of
impairments

12. Beck’s Model of Depression (1979)
‘The Cognitive Triad’
Negative Triad (3 negative core assumptions/schemata)
– Negative view of the self
– Negative view of the world
– Negative view of the future
Core assumptions
are fairly fixed
beliefs, developed
in childhood

13. Albert Ellis
• Ellis argued that there are common irrational
beliefs that underlie much depression, and
sufferers have based their lives on these
beliefs
• For example: “I must be successful, competent
and achieving in everything I do if I am to
consider myself worthwhile”

14. Once activated, these core beliefs produce a
range of automatic thoughts
• These thoughtds are often distorted or full of errors.
• There is a link between these negative core
assumptions (schemas) and the development and
maintenance of psychological problems.
• Young – believed the core beliefs can come from
parenting style and maladaptive schemas develop if
the emotional needs of the child are not met.

15. Examples of dysfunctional thinking
• Awfulising: using words like 'awful’, 'terrible’, 'horrible’,
'catastrophic’ to describe something - e.g. 'It would be terrible
if …’, 'It’s the worst thing that could happen’, 'That would be
the end of the world’.
• Cant-stand-it-itis: viewing an event or experience as
unbearable - e.g. 'I can’t stand it’, 'It’s absolutely unbearable’,
‘I’ll die if I get rejected’.
• Demanding: using 'should’ or 'must’ - e.g. 'I should not have
done that, 'I must not fail’, 'I need to be loved’, 'I have to have
a drink’.
• People-rating: labelling or rating your self (or someone else) -
e.g. 'I’m stupid /hopeless /useless /worthless.’

16. These negative thoughts are unconscious and rapid responses to certain situations.
They can be identified as Cognitive biases. These biases prevent the person from
focusing on the positive side of life and so reinforce their negative views.
Cognitive Bias Explanation
Minimisation The bias towards minimising
success in life. Eg Attributing good
exam results to luck.
Maximisation Maximising the importance of
trivial failures. Thinking you’re
stupid if you fail to complete a
Sudoku.
Selective Abstraction Focusing on only the negative side
of life and ignoring the wider
picture.
All or nothing thinking A tendency to see life in terms of
black and white and ignoring the
middle ground; you are a success
or a failure rather than good at
some things but not so good at
others.

17. Case study two:
• Look at the other case study in
your pack. You have five
minutes to work on the
questions.

18. Ellis: Core beliefs…
I must be successful
This is activated by
important events – such
as taking exams.
This triggers automatic
thoughts such as :
•I can only get a good
mark if I study all day
•Everyone else can do it
•I must be stupid….
•I’ll never get to university
•I’ll never get a good job

19. This leads to emotional and
behavioural changes
Emotions:
•Anxiety/sadness
Behavioural changes:
•Staying in constantly working, avoiding other
people.
•Loss of appetite/difficulty sleeping
•Too nervous to revise/sit exams

20. Task:
• Using the example in your pack, fill in the flow
chart showing how core beliefs influence our
thoughts, actions and feelings for the example
of
• I must be successful – activated by
examinations.

21. How do you think?
• Have a look at the ‘quiz’ on thinking styles in
the pack.

22. Cognitive therapy
• So how can we treat people with
psychological problems because of faulty
thinking?
• Answer:
• Cognitive therapy often known as CBT.
• Working in pairs think of three questions
about CBT.

23. Questions about CBT

24. Cognitive therapy – an example
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=x7HJmVx3qN4

25. Design a leaflet
• Design a short leaflet that would be suitable
to distribute to patients to explain what CBT
will involve and how it will work.
• Try to make sure your leaflet answers all our
questions.
• Remember to include information on the
advantages of CBT and also some of the
possible weaknesses.