The Cognitive model of abnormality and treatments

1. What are the strengths of the Cognitive model?

It offers a useful approach to disorders such as depression which are greatly dependent on thoughts, they have often successfully treated depression, anxiety, stress and eating disorders and they allow people to take control and make positive changes
Faulty connections may be a consequence rather than a cause (depression may be caused by chemical imbalance), they take a long time and are costly, they may be more effective when combined with other treatments and a person may feel they are to blame

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Other people (that they cannot succeed in anything), the world ( they must be successful to be a good person) and the future (that nothing will change)
Themselves (that they cannot succeed in anything), the world ( they must be successful to be a good person) and the future (that nothing will change)
Themselves (that they cannot succeed in anything), the world ( they must be successful to be a good person) and the past (that nothing will change)

Activating event: for example, a failed exam
Belief: about why the event occured, this may be rational ( I didn't study enough) or irrational ( I'm too stupid to pass exams)
Consequence: rational beliefs produce adaptive consequences (more revision in the future) whereas irrational beliefs produce maladaptive consquences (getting depressed)

The therapist and client identify faulty cognitions, the therapist tries to show they are untrue, they set goals to think in more adaptive ways. The treatment mainly focusses on the present situation
Themselves (that they cannot succeed in anything), the world ( they must be successful to be a good person) and the future (that nothing will change)