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Cognitive-Behavioral Processes Based on Using the ABC Analysis by Trainees’ for Their Personal Development

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Abstract

As cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) has proven to be an evidence-based intervention for many mental health problems, the requirement for training programs has increased. Although there is promising data on the skills outcomes of such programs, trainees’ affective/behavioral changes mechanisms and in their faulty thinking patterns during the personal development of such training are unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate which are the most common irrational/dysfunctional beliefs of trainees during a cognitive-behavioral intervention training and their maladaptive consequences, as well as the methods of restructuring that they prefer to change these beliefs into rational/functional ones and achieve more adaptive consequences. 94 participants in a cognitive-behavioral interventions training program filled out 340 ABC, forms related to negative events at work and in personal life, as part of the personal development component in the training program. The obtained qualitative data was coded by three trained ratters in accordance to the current cognitive model of CBT. Contingencies analysis showed that demandingness, awfulizing and global evaluation (GE) are most frequently associated with anxiety, while low frustration tolerance is associated with anger. Comfort, affiliation, achievement themes were most frequently associated with anxiety, while fairness was most frequently associated with anger. Pragmatic cognitive restructuring was the most frequently used by trainees. We found evidence that confirmed many of the theoretical predictions form the cognitive model of CBT in respect to the associations between irrational/dysfunctional cognitions and dysfunctional emotions as well as some particularities for this specific population.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a grant for young researchers awarded to Oana A. David from the Babes-Bolyai University, project number GTC34060. The work of Silviu A. Matu and Diana Nagy was supported by the Sectoral Operational Programme for Human Resources Development 2007–2013, cofinanced by the European Social Fund, under the project number POSDRU/107/1.5/S/76841 with the title “Modern Doctoral Studies: Internationalization and Interdisciplinarity”.

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  1. Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Babeş-Bolyai University, No. 37 Republicii Street, 400015, Cluj–Napoca, Romania

    Oana A. David, Silviu A. Matu, Sebastian Pintea, Carmen D. Cotet & Diana Nagy

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  1. Oana A. David
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  2. Silviu A. Matu
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Correspondence to Oana A. David.

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David, O.A., Matu, S.A., Pintea, S. et al. Cognitive-Behavioral Processes Based on Using the ABC Analysis by Trainees’ for Their Personal Development. J Rat-Emo Cognitive-Behav Ther 32, 198–215 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10942-014-0189-0

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