Abnormal Psychology

Instructor:
Prof. Dr. Rukhsana Kausar

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 Cognitive Perspective

Basic Concepts
 Focuses on the way person attends to, interprets and uses
available information

 Concerned with internal mental processes

 Present-focused

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 Cognitive Perspective

Basic Concepts
 Maladaptive thinking is the cause of maladaptive behavior

 Faulty thinking, assumptions and attitudes

 Illogical thinking processes

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 Cognitive Perspective

Beck’s Cognitive Therapy

 Goal of the therapy is to help client recognize and restructure their
thinking.

 Therapist also guide clients to challenge their dysfunctional

thoughts, try out new interpretations and apply new ways of
thinking in their daily lives.

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 Cognitive Perspective

Albert Ellis’ Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

 Believed that through rational analysis and cognitive
reconstruction, people could understand their self-defeating
behaviors in the light of their core irrational beliefs and then
develop more rational constructs.