Cognitive theory and social casework

James E. Lantz, MSW, is Clinical Social Worker, North Central Com munity Mental Health Center, Columbus, Ohio. Although cognitive theory has exusing to create unpleasant or dysfunc isted for a considerable time, social tional emotional states. Maultsby uses workers have only recently started to the example of learning to drive a car use it as a basis for casework practice, to illustrate this phenomenon.4 When The purpose of this article is to proan individual is first learning to drive vide an overview of the major cona car, he or she engages in a great deal cepts of cognitive theory and to of active thinking or "self-talk" (a provide descriptions of treatment promessage from the self to the self) cedures that can be used with a cogniabout driving the car. The individual tive orientation to social casework, will actively tell himor herself to step Such a presentation may help to inon the brake or to turn the steering crease the use of cognitive theory as a wheel in order to stop or turn. After guide in practice. a period of time, this form of self-talk The primary concept held by cognior thinking becomes so well learned tive practitioners is that most human that it becomes almost automatic and emotion is the direct result of what is generally outside the person's aware people think, tell themselves, assume, ness. A similar process occurs in the or believe about themselves and their development of most dysfunctional social situations.1 Ellis formulated a human emotions. As a result, to help a cognitive "ABC" theory of emotion client learn to change a dysfunctional based on this primary concept.2 In his emotional state, it is important that framework, "A" represents an outside the professional help the client bring event or social situation, "B" repreinto active awareness the thoughts, be sents what people think, believe, and liefs, or misconceptions that are cre tell themselves about themselves and ating or maintaining the dysfunctional the outside event, and "C" represents emotion. the emotions that follow logically from Although cognitive theory considers these thoughts and beliefs. According most dysfunctional emotional states to to Ellis, when people's thoughts and be a direct result of the individual's beliefs are rational, they feel emotions misconceptions, its third major concept that are functional. When their is that there are exceptions to this rule, thoughts and beliefs are irrational, Many dysfunctional emotions may be people begin to develop dysfunctional the result of organic, physiological, emotions, various psychiatric sympneurological, or chemical problems, toms, and dysfunctional behavior patExamples of such problems include terns. It is the therapist's responsibility thyroid imbalance, blood sugar im to help clients change irrational ideas balance, brain tissue damage, malnu and beliefs that create such dysfunctrition, intake of toxic substances, tional emotional states. aging, prolonged exposure to the ele Raimy has stated this primary ments, some forms of psychosis and premise of cognitive theory in a someaffective disorders, and, in general, any what different way.3 In his view, most physical problem that can create an dysfunctional human emotions and imbalance in the body's chemical behavior are the direct result of misstate.5 conceptions that people hold about A fourth concept in cognitive theory themselves or about various environis that not all unpleasant emotions are mental situations. Raimy also believes dysfunctional and not all pleasant emo that most dysfunctional emotions can tions are functional. Maultsby illus be changed when the person feeling trates this point with the example of a the emotion is able to change or corperson who feels very happy about rect the misconceptions creating it. seeing a rattlesnake.6 An individual A second concept in cognitive thewho sees an attractively colored rattle ory is that many of people's beliefs, snake that is set to bite him or her, and misconceptions, and thinking processes tells himor herself both that "the are outside their awareness. As a rerattlesnake is pretty" and that "the suit, in many instances human beings rattlesnake is not dangerous" is en do not know just what thoughts, ideas, gaging in thinking that is, in part, ir beliefs, and misconceptions they are rational. This misconception will result