Showing papers by "Leslie S. Greenberg published in 1982"

Resolving decisional conflict by Gestalt two-chair dialogue: Relating process to outcome.

Abstract: Thirty-one clients completed a six-week program using Gestalt two-chair dialogue to work on intrapsychic conflict related to the making of a decision. The clients were classified as resolvers or nonresolvers based on a pattern of in-session process indicators. The resolvers were identified as clients who had manifested three components of a proposed model of conflict resolution:. the expression of criticism by one part of the personality, the expression of feeling and wants by another, and the softening in attitude of the \"critic.\" These attributes were measured in terms of voice quality, depth of experience, and structural analysis of social behavior. Resolvers were found to be significantly less undecided and less anxious after treatment; they also reported greater improvement on target complaints and behavior change. In addition, after the session in which the \"critic\" softened, resolvers reported greater conflict resolution, less discomfort, greater mood change, and greater goal attainment than nonresolvers.

Eliciting "hot cognitions" in cognitive behaviour therapy: Rationale and procedural guidelines.

Abstract: A distinction can be drawn between "hot" or affectively laden cognitions, and "cold" or rational, affect free cognitions. In the present paper we argue that the cognitive therapists should be particularly interested in their clients' hot cognitions since the problems which bring people into therapy rarely stem from cold cognitions, independent of affective processes. Four procedures which can be useful for eliciting hot cognitions in therapy are discussed. These are: 1) educating clients as to the existence of intuitive appraisals, 2) helping them distinguish between appraisals and reappraisals, 3) promoting vivid reconstruction of past experiences, and 4) guiding attention to intuitive appraisals. The relationship between eliciting hot cognitions and behavioural skill training is also discussed. Although there are a variety of procedural differences between the therapeutic interventions developed by cognition behaviour therapists such as Meichenbaum (1977), Ellis (1962), and Beck (1976), two common components which have been identified are: (1) obtaining insight into negative self-statements or automatic thoughts, and (2) learning to use coping statements. We have found that often the initial process of eliciting the dysfunctional automatic thoughts is an extremely difficult one and that these mediating events are not always readily available to clients. As Goldfried (1979) has noted, it is not unusual to encounter individuals in clinical settings "who have great difficulty in describing the internal dialogue that may be mediating their upset in any given situation" (p. 141). Although extensive descriptions of procedures for eliciting automatic thoughts have been published (cf. Beck, Rush, Shaw & Emery, 1979), these descriptions typically do not deal with the situations wherein these cognitions are not readily accessible. Much has been written about problems involved in the accuracy of self report, and particularly relevant for the present discussion are the more general questions of what types of cognition processes individuals have access to, and under what conditions this access is facilitated (cf. Nisbett & Wilson, 1977; Smith & Miller, 1978; Ericsson & Simon, 1980). It is our contention that there is a fundamental difference between two types of data that therapists can elicit from their clients: hot cognitions and cold cognitions. These two types of data are different in a clinically meaningful sense and the conditions for facilitating access to these two types of data are different. What do we mean by hot versus cold cognitions? Ableson (1963) originally coined these terms to distinguish between cognition mediating processes which are affective in nature versus those which are affect free. We shall use this distinction in the clinical context in the following fashion: If a client is asked "What sort of thoughts were running through your mind when you left the party early last weekend?" and she replies in a rather calm fashion: "Well I knew it wasn't true, but it passed through my mind that people were staring at me", chances are good that this is a cold cognition. There is little affect attached to it and the client has had time to think about it and process it rationally. An apparent detachment is evidenced both by the content of the response, and as well as the lack of immediacy in the way the client responds. Imagine, however that the client has been sitting extremely quietly in a group therapy setting, leaning back in his chair clutching tensely at the armrests. The therapist asks him what he is thinking and he responds hoarsely and virtually in tears: "I feel that everyone is staring at me." Here there is very little doubt that the response is affect laden and that the

Cognitive appraisal and reappraisal: Implications for clinical practice

Abstract: A central step in many cognitive approaches to therapy consists of helping the client to become aware of maladaptive cognitions. In practice this process is often a complicated one requiring considerable therapeutic skill to implement. The present paper utilizes Arnold's (1960, 1970) cognitive appraisal model in order to clarify the nature of and reasons for some of these problems. In light of this clarification, specific recommendations for the refinement of clinical procedures are made.