Cognitive Restructuring

What is cognitive restructuring? This subject deals mainly with cognition and how it affects behavior with true changes. In family systems theories the family as a complete unit or as a system works to maintain a homestatis where members follow rules and the hierarchy that is implied or explicit in the rules that will also maintain balance. A change in any member will cause a disruption in relationships and the family.

There will be reaction and counterreaction along with independence from the parents that will exhibit more control. One member will or could disorder the whole family and become dysfunctional. Family cohesiveness is to show how close the family is and how will adapted to changes and environmental demands occur.

What are the communication styles? There are open and closed communication style. There is the 'inflexible family' that is resistant and isolative itself from outsiders, and does not like change in the family. There is the 'embeshed family' that has blurred boundaries that are personal and lacks automony. This family is overly involved in each others lives. There is the 'Disengaged family' that is very rigid with the boundaries and very autonomous units. Individual ways of living are oblivious to each other. There are also 'pathological/triangular' families that the parents avoid their interpersonal issues and keeping children as an integral part of the family. They are always in the kids lives.

Models of Abnormality

There are communication deviances in what is said nonverbally even though behaviors are inconsistent with each other. It is a 'double-bind' where two messages are sent and not logically consistent. In complementary relationships happens when own pathologies feed on each other, as in working with an alcoholic husband.

The Socio-Cultural Perspective is many large social structures not individual. They are family, community/neighborhood, social class, and origin. Mental disorders in structures through learning are by the roles we play or put upon us and the models we watch. We watch for the ideals and learn from the pressures we experience, and the stresses we encounter. Alcoholism is a common stressor. How open are we to the culture to seeking help with problems. Do we create a culture of healing?

There are biological theories being those of structural abnormalities in the brain; genetics as seen in twin studies; there is a disordered biochemistry in the brain, for example Autism in children and the structure of influence and the type of symptoms by specific areas of the brain and the neurotransmitters whether positive or negative. The amgyula shows fear and emotion and anxiety. There is a biochemical focus on the neurotransmitters. The chemicals are the ones to facilitate the neurons and too much or too little activity to influence of these there are psychotropic medications that help deal with these.

Genetics and having predispositions to these disorders are known as 'polygenetic' and flows with multiple genes in some problems, as in love in family history and first degree members. Twin studies dealing with 100% monozygotic to dizygotic twins. 100% of congruence rates in working and dealing with twin studies. There are also adoption studies between biological and adoptive relatives to make and making decisions. Is this a reason to dive into the nature/nurture debate.

Next lesson/lecture is on Assessment and Diagnosis

(If you like what you read could you please like, comment, and/or tip for the article. I apologize if these articles are out of date, but the basic facts are there. As a reminder these articles are based on the lectures that I had in my undergraduate course in Abnormal psychology, as well as a few other courses that I have shared what I learned. Again thank you for reading and sharing.)