Assessment of dysfunctional cognitive processes that guide maladaptive behavioral functioning is a sine qua non for cognitive behavioral treatment. Such an assessment, however, is cursed with at least three problems. Firstly, people may not always have access to their cognitive processes, which may hamper the retrieval of them by means of direct questioning procedures. Secondly, the contents of dysfunctional cognitions can be highly idiographic, which may limit their assessment by means of nomothetic instruments. Thirdly, one may wish to go beyond the assessment of the contents of the cognitive beliefs and chart the links with the situational conditions under which these dysfunctional beliefs are applicable, their interrelations and their links with the ultimate maladaptive behaviors. This article describes a novel method that may be helpful in this respect. After outlining its major principles, they are illustrated with a case study of an impulse control disordered patient. (Author/publisher)
Abstract