Psychological Issue Summary - Essay Example

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Affiliation Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy As a psychological rehabilitation specialist, guided discovery would be one of the major techniques used to help emotionally disturbed children to handle their daily challenges. In the modern world, children are exposed to family issues that relate to adults in their day-to-day activities. According to Hoffman and Otto (2008) children psychopathology needs to be understood in the context of household interactional patterns. Through guided discovery, I would ask questions that would help the children towards self-realization of own cognitive distortion.

Self-discovery will ensure individual motivation towards change and into abolishing maladaptive behavior. Family relationships like poor parenting, criminality and poverty have been attributed to aggression among children (Szigethy, Weisz and Findling, 2012). Presenting a child with guided discoveries will enable them to make informed decisions and not necessarily those of the parents. Cognitive rehearsal can help children cope with the daily challenges by assisting them in solving a complex situation they once encountered.

This provides a reference point for the children when faced with future circumstances. Through active participation, the child is equipped with social confidence that’s not only important for social skills, but also shapes behavior relative to peer interactions. Szigethy et al. (2012) explain that good peer relationships are formed once children learn how to initiate and maintain positive social interactions.Szigethy et al. (2012) posits that individual’s current thinking and underlying beliefs form a “working hypothesis”.

Self-homework is another technique I would use to change and improve on the maladaptive behavior. This could involve journaling or note taking during the session followed by a subsequent discussion on any arising issues. I would also incorporate positive reinforcement whereby the child is rewarded for every positive deed. Setting targets, that, when reached the child gets a token or loses one for not performing certain duties. As time progresses, the child is motivated to achieve which subsequently changes previous failure beliefs.

Hoffman and Otto (2008) state that failure is maintained by negative self-perception in which individuals recall past failures. If children are offered advantageous situations that boost their egos, then academic difficulty is bound to change. ReferencesHofmann G. S. & Otto W. M. (2008). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social AnxietyDisorder: Evidence-based and Disorder-specific Treatment Techniques. (2) 77-90.Szigethy E., Weisz R. J. & Findling L. R. (2012). Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Children andAdolescents.

Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Pub.