GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMSA-B-C model of

GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS
A-B-C model of personality Temporal sequence
of antecedents, behavior, and consequences.
The theory that people’s problems do
not stem from activating events but, rather, from
their beliefs about such events. Thus, the best
route to changing problematic emotions is to
change one’s beliefs about situations.
Arbitrary inferences A form of cognitive distortion
that refers to making conclusions without
supporting and relevant evidence.
Automatic thoughts Maladaptive thoughts
that appear to arise reflexively, without conscious
deliberation.
Cognitive behavior modification (CBM) A
therapeutic approach that focuses on changing
the client’s self-verbalizations.
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) A treatment
approach that aims at changing cognitions
that are leading to psychological problems.
Cognitive distortions In cognitive therapy, the
client’s misconceptions and faulty assumptions.
Examples include arbitrary inference, selective
abstraction, overgeneralization, magnification
and minimizations, labeling and mislabeling, dichotomous
thinking, and personalization.
Cognitive restructuring A process of actively
altering maladaptive thought patterns and replacing
them with constructive and adaptive
thoughts and beliefs.
Cognitive structure The organizing aspect of
thinking, which monitors and directs the choice
of thoughts; implies an “executive processor,”
one that determines when to continue, interrupt,
or change thinking patterns.
Cognitive therapy (CT) An approach and set
of procedures that attempts to change feelings
and behavior by modifying faulty thinking and
believing.
Cognitive triad A pattern that triggers depression.
Collaborative empiricism A strategy of viewing
the client as a scientist who is able to make objective
interpretations. The process in which therapist
and client work together to phrase the client’s
faulty beliefs as hypotheses and design homework
so that the client can test these hypotheses.
Constructivist approach A recent development
in cognitive therapy that emphasizes the
subjective framework and interpretations of the
client rather than looking to the objective bases
of faulty beliefs.
Constructivist narrative perspective An approach
that focuses on the stories that people tell
about them themselves and others regarding signifi
cant events in their lives.
Coping skills program A behavioral procedure
for helping clients deal effectively with
stressful situations by learning to modify their
thinking patterns.