**Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations**

**1** 

*Brazil* 

**Assessing and Restructuring** 

**Dysfunctional Cognitions** 

*Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health,* 

Cognition impacts clinically relevant aspects of day-to-day function, such as emotion, behavior, and interpersonal relationships, and involves structures necessary to support information processing. The exchange of interpersonal information in therapy typically comprises emotional states, behavioral symptoms, expectations for improvement, and experiences and meanings attached to experiences, that may occur according to implicit (non-conscious) and explicit (conscious) levels of awareness on the part of both the client

This chapter has two learning objectives: 1) help the patient to identify and change cognitions in the first and most superficial level of information processing – comprising negative automatic thoughts (ATs), and expressed as consistent errors in patients' thinking; 2) help the patient to identify and change cognitions in the second and intermediate level of information processing – comprising the underlying assumptions (UAs) or conditional

Two other chapters in this book are focused on identifying and restructuring negative core beliefs (CBs) and schemas, conceptualized as the third and deeper level of information

Cognitions may be assessed on at least three levels (Fig. 1). On a more superficial level of information processing, cognitions are known as ATs. Hollon & Kendall (1980) developed the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ-30), a 30-item questionnaire conceived to measure the frequency of occurrence of ATs, typically expressed as negative self-statements, and associated with depression. In the intermediate level of information processing, cognitions are usually called UAs or conditional beliefs. Weissman & Beck (1978) developed the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale to assess negative attitudes of depressed patients towards self, the outside world, and the future. Finally, in the deepest level of information processing, cognitions are known as CBs or schemas. Beck et al. (2001) proposed the Personality Beliefs Questionnaire, and Young and Brown (1994) developed the Young

**1. Introduction** 

beliefs.

**2. Cognitive model** 

and the therapist (Alford & Beck, 1997).

processing (Wenzel, 2012; de-Oliveira, 2012).

Schema Questionnaire to assess these beliefs.

Irismar Reis de Oliveira

*Federal University of Bahia,* 
