Author: Glossary

A type of psychotherapy, usually focused and problem oriented, directed primarily at identifying and modifying distorted thinking patterns and behavioral dysfunction. This technique is based on the assumption that certain thought patterns, called cognitive structures or schemas, shape the way people react to the situations in their lives. Individuals with major depression, anxiety disorders, eating…

A technique of cognitive therapy that enables one to identify negative, irrational beliefs and replace them with truthful, rational statements. Shame aversion therapy. Any psychological method used to remove negative thoughts or irrational roadblocks that harm a person’s emotional health. A technique used in cognitive-behavioral therapy of challenging dysfunctional automatic thoughts, assumptions, and beliefs and…

Modification of cognitive and role functioning in seriously and persistently mentally ill patients, directed at improving visual and verbal memory and social and emotional perception. Techniques designed to improve the functioning of individuals whose cognition is impaired because of physical trauma or disease. Rehabilitation strategies are designed to improve the impaired function via repetitive drills…

A combination therapy often used with rape survivors who have posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). CPT includes education and discussion of the assault with the group via writing and cognitive restructuring. Occasionally, the cognitive restructuring component of cognitive-behavioral therapy, when employed in the context of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment, is referred to by this particular…

An intellectual process by which one becomes aware of, perceives, or comprehends ideas. It involves all aspects of perception, thinking, reasoning, and remembering.  

In cognitive-behavioral therapy, people with depressive disorders or personality disorders are believed to have faulty assumptions or misconceptions that may be caused by past experiences and are not adapted to the actual situation of the person. These types of errors include magnification, overgeneralization, personalization, polarized thinking, and selective abstraction.  

Medications or supplements (also known as memory enhancers or nootropics) purported to improve mental functions such as cognition, memory, intelligence, motivation, attention, and concentration. This category includes drugs used to treat people with cognitive difficulties, such as those with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  

In dsm-iv-tr, this group includes delirium, dementia, and amnestic disorder. Impairment of any of the mental processes of perception, memory, judgment and reasoning.  

Beginning in infancy, the acquisition of Intelligence, conscious thought, and problem-solving abilities. An orderly sequence in the increase in knowledge derived from sensorimotor activity has been empirically shown by Jean Piaget (1896–1980), who described four stages in the cognitive development of the child: a) Sensorimotor Stage: The senses receive a stimulus, and the body reacts…