Cognitive Restructuring Techniques Flashcards
7 cards from real CBT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Cognitive Restructuring Techniques flashcards as text
A client believes 'If I make one mistake at work, I'll get fired.' Which cognitive distortion does this best represent?
Answer: Catastrophizing
Catastrophizing involves exaggerating the likelihood or severity of negative outcomes, such as assuming one mistake will lead to termination.
During Socratic questioning, a therapist asks 'What evidence do you have that contradicts your belief?' This technique primarily aims to:
Answer: Help the client examine factual support for and against their thoughts
Socratic questioning guides clients to evaluate empirical evidence, weakening maladaptive beliefs by exposing lack of supporting data.
A therapist helps a client replace 'I must be perfect or I am worthless' with 'I prefer to do well, but mistakes are a normal part of learning.' This is an example of:
Answer: Disputing irrational beliefs (REBT-informed restructuring)
Replacing absolute 'must' statements with preferences is a hallmark of disputing irrational beliefs, a technique drawn from REBT integrated into CBT restructuring.
Which of the following best describes a 'thought record' in CBT?
Answer: A structured form for identifying, evaluating, and challenging automatic thoughts
A thought record is a structured CBT tool used to capture automatic thoughts, evaluate supporting and contradicting evidence, and generate balanced alternatives.
A client who fails a test concludes, 'I am completely stupid.' The therapist points out this is an example of:
Answer: Labeling
Labeling involves assigning a global negative identity label to oneself based on a specific event rather than describing the behavior.
In the downward arrow technique, the therapist repeatedly asks 'And if that were true, what would that mean to you?' The primary goal is to:
Answer: Uncover the core belief underlying a surface automatic thought
The downward arrow technique drills through layers of automatic thoughts to reveal the deeper core belief driving emotional distress.
A client with health anxiety frequently checks their body for signs of illness. In cognitive restructuring, addressing the underlying belief 'My body is fragile and always at risk' is important because:
Answer: Core beliefs maintain the anxiety cycle and must be modified for lasting change
Core beliefs sustain anxiety disorders; restructuring these fundamental assumptions is essential to prevent relapse and produce durable symptom reduction.