IB Abnormal Psychology - Cognitive Etiology

The Four Etiologies

Biological Etiology

Cognitive Etiology

Sociocultural Etiology

Prevelance

Definition of PTSD

PTSD is a condition caused by a traumatic event that lasts over 30 days. Symptoms include intrusive memories, emotional detachment, and heightened arousal, leading to sleep disturbances, excessive caution, and difficulty managing anger.

Limitations when studying PTSD

PTSD often occurs with depression, substance abuse, and cognitive problems. It can affect social and family life, leading to employment and relationship issues. 

Symptoms of PTSD

A - Anhedonia (the inability to experience pleasure), emotional numbing.

B - Hyper-vigilance, passivity, nightmares, exaggerated startle response
C - Intrusive memories, inability to concentrate, hyper-arousal, flashbacks

S - Lower back pain, headaches, stomach ache and digestion problems, insomnia, regression in some children such as losing already acquired developmental skills, like speech

Cognitive Etiologies

Early Maladaptive Schema Model (EMSM)
- Trauma in Childhood (Abuse, Neglect) - might be anxious around Authority figures

External Locus of Control
- Things are happening to “me”, there is no control over what happens to “me”

Rumination - Response Style Theory
- High stress over symptoms to the degree that the person is not dealing with the problem or solving the Trauma

Catastrophizing
-Analysing small things to the point that you are making them seem worse than they are

Early Maladaptive Schema Model definition

EMSM is a model that states that schema formed early in life as a result of negative childhood experiences affects how we process negative life events - Often these schemas develop as a result of a lack of love in the home, abuse, or deprivation. These schemas then lead to feelings of guilt, "just punishment" or the inevitability of bad things happening to them.
This filter is then how patients process a traumatic event that potentially leads to symptoms of PTSD.

Strengths of EMSM

Therapy based on cognitive restructuring is effective for many patients with PTSD

Limitations of EMSM

Aetiology-Treatment Fallacy Schema may not be the only factor in the development of PTSD

External Locus of Control Definition

Cognitive therapists have noted that PTSD patients tend to feel that they have a lack of control over their lives that the world is unpredictable and that the victims of child abuse develop the expectation that life is beyond their control and that they cannot predict their future. A psychologist called this feeling of autonomy a "locus of control." The theory is that individuals with an external locus of control - where they see their tragedy as beyond their control - are more likely to develop PTSD.

Strengths of Locus of Control

Cognitive theories help to explain differences in symptoms

Limitations of Locus of Control

-Cognitive research is highly reliant on self-reported data which is open to memory distortion and cannot always be verified for accuracy.
-Cognition cannot be directly observed.

Response Style Theory Definition

The cognitive approach argues that patterns of thinking are responsible for our mental disorders. 

The Response Styles Theory for both depression and anxiety-related disorders, including PTSD. This theory argues that rumination - that is, the focused attention on the symptoms of one's distress - leads to the development of PTSD and makes it difficult to treat. In the case of people living with PTSD, the focus of their rumination is often the trauma itself.

Rumination Defintion

Rumination has two parts: focusing on distress symptoms and struggling to find solutions. Over-analyzing leads to hopelessness and negative self-evaluation. Ruminating can interfere with PTSD treatment and outcomes.

Limitation of RST

Cognitive research is highly reliant on self-reported data which is open to memory distortion and cannot always be verified for accuracy

Catastrophizing Definition

The concept of catastrophizing - that is, a negative schema in which one views situations as considerably worse than they actually are.

Strengths of Cata

Cognitive theories help to explain differences in symptoms

Limitations of Cata

-Cognitive research is highly reliant on self-reported data which is open to memory distortion and cannot always be verified for accuracy.
-Schema is not the only factor in the development of PTSD

Cockram et al (2010) Aim and Method

EMSM

Aim -To test the early maladaptive schema model

Method -It was a two-part study.
(1)The first part of the study examined the role of early maladaptive schemas in the development of PTSD in 220 Australian and New Zealand Vietnam War veterans. Veterans diagnosed with PTSD scored higher on the Young Schema Questionnaire than veterans not diagnosed with PTSD, they reported more negative childhood experiences with parents and in early childhood.

(2)The second part of the study measured the effect of cognitive restructuring - that is, schema-based therapy aimed at changing the maladaptive schemas - on symptoms of PTSD of war veterans.  Two groups were compared – PTSD patients who had schema-based therapy and those who did not.

Cockram et al (2010) Findings

For the first part of the study, it was suggested that early maladaptive schemas have an important role in the development or maintenance of PTSD in Vietnam veterans. Although the focus of the research is on cognitive processes, the research also indicates that negative or stressful early life experiences may make one more vulnerable to PTSD in adulthood.

For the second part, the Symptoms of PTSD and anxiety improved more significantly for the schema-focused therapy group.  This appears to demonstrate that schema processing plays a significant role in the disorder; however, we cannot conclude that maladaptive schema is the sole cause of the disorder.

Cockram et al (2010) General Link

This study shows that the Etiology of EMSM might be related to PTSD because the Veterans who scored higher on the young Schema questionnaire were diagnosed with PTSD whereas those without PTSD scored lower, showing that having negative childhood experiences can help increase the chances of development of PTSD after experiencing traumatic events. The second part, appears to demonstrate that schema processing plays a significant role in the disorder; however, we cannot conclude that maladaptive schema is the sole cause of the disorder.

Cockram et al (2010) Critical Thinking

Alternative Explanations 

Every war veteran goes through different experiences. Maybe more participants in the group that did not undergo therapy went through worse experiences than others, making them more prone to developing PTSD.

Strengths of Cockram et al (2010)

Cross-Cultural Investigation which may limit cultural bias

Limitations of Cockram et al (2010)

Relies on personal accounts and statements from the veterans

Bolstad and Zinbarg (1997) Aim and Methods

External locus of Control

Survey

Aim -
To see if sexual abuse in childhood results in the victim external Locus of Control

Method -

-> participants were 117 female undergraduates.
->The women were asked to fill in the Participant Profile Form (PPF) that collected data on childhood abuse, the PTSD symptom scale and the I-E scale which measures one’s locus of control.

Bolstad and Zinbarg (1997) Findings

The findings showed that the participants who had experienced repeated or multiple cases of sexual abuse had a lower perception of control – or an external locus of control.  This was also associated with greater PTSD symptoms after having been victimized as an adult.

Bolstad and Zinbarg (1997) General Link

This study shows that the cognitive etiology of External Locus of Control can increase the risk of development of PTSD because the Participants who had experienced sexual abuse had a lower sense of control also had greater PTSD symptoms compared to those who scored lower on the PPF

Bolstad and Zinbarg (1997) Critical Thinking

This study may have limitations in the data because it is self-reported which may lower the validity of the data, additionally, the results may not be generalizable to others such as Men and other age groups due to low population validity because the study was only conducted on undergraduate women

Limitations of Bolstad and Zinbarg (1997)

→ Self-reported data is not reliable.
→Maybe sexual assault victims were not comfortable opening up about their experience yet.

→Ethical consideration asking them questions about their experience could trigger bad memories if they do have PTSD.

→Only women were studied, so the results cannot be generalized to men.

Strengths of Cognitive Arguments for PTSD

Therapy based on cognitive restructuring is effective for many patients with PTSD

Cognitive theories help to explain differences in symptoms

Limitations of Cognitive Arguments for PTSD

Cognitive research is highly reliant on self-reported data which is open to memory distortion and cannot always be verified for accuracy

The Aetiology-Treatment Fallacy argues that just because a treatment may be successful, it does not mean that schema is the actual cause of the disorder

Cognition cannot be directly observed

It can be argued that cognitive arguments are an overly simplistic explanation of the disorder