Use of Cognitive Theoretical Framework - Research Paper Example

Use of Cognitive Theoretical Framework Introduction The subjective approaches of professional as well as academic restraint help in developing social structure and most importantly different attributes of the community members. The development in different qualities of the individuals eventually aid in strengthening the social structures by a considerable extent. It is worth mentioning that several psychological dilemmas as well as attributes are attached with the development of a proper societal structure. The psychological as well as the biological understanding are observed to be imposing positive impact on the socio-structural settings in the form of varied ways. These ways may entail greater development in the abilities of the community members towards any uncertain situation and making effective decisions from a long-term perspective. Thus, the understanding of the different psychological theories can be duly considered as one the prime needs of the social workers for generating any sort of positive outcome. Dealing with the individuals has huge amount of involvement of emotions in the context of understanding their requirements, which has been one of the important parts of the social workers to operate properly. Understanding of the psychological theories helps in gaining a better insight towards the needs and requirements of the individuals. This further enhances their ability to deal with cognitive blockages and enhances their approach towards the societal settings (Prendes & Brisebois, 2012). In relation to the above context, this gap could be effectively met by the psychological theories that deal with human behavioural traits and draws an insight towards the approaches of self-processes. The social work values could be efficiently developed by the use of cognitive theory as these help in assessing the behavioural attributes of an individual. Cognitive theory broadly explains on the different attributes that depicts the processes through which an individual reacts within the prevailing environment. In this regard, the development in thinking competencies certainly enhances the interactions of the individuals with the environment that they belong (Lutz & Huitt, 2004). With this concern, the essay intends to make greater use of Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) in order to critically analyse the provided case study 1 with clear justifications and reaching into valid conclusions. Brief Overview of the Case The prime intent of this essay is to evaluate the use of cognitive theory in relation to the provided case study of Jozef, a 53 year old man, who was being referred to a Local Alcohol Community Team due to his desperate habit of consuming alcohol. Based on the case study provided, it can be ascertained that Jozef was being habituated in consuming alcohol due to his relocation of job area from Slovak Republic to the UK. During the period of his profession of working as a carpenter in the UK, Jozef used to consume alcohol after his working hours with few of his newly made friends from previous two years after broken his wrist in an accident on a building site. Jozef was frequently found to spend most of his time by hanging around in local parks with other men from Eastern Europe and consuming alcohol throughout the whole day, which further resulted him to loss his employment. The habit of consuming alcohol was being prominent for Jozef, which had further resulted in deteriorating relationship with his family members. According to the case, it can be apparently observed that Jozef was asked to give away his habit of consuming alcohol after being diagnosed with flu by a General Practitioner (GP). In order to develop health and wellness, Jozef was referred to a Local Community Alcohol Team by a social worker through an alcohol detoxification programme and then into a rehab. The rehabilitation programme thus resulted in bringing severe anxiety on his life and deliberately avoiding of making contact with family members or any other individual. Therefore, based on the above context, an attempt has been made regarding evaluation of the case of Jozef in relation to the theoretical concept of Jean Piaget’s CBT framework. The discussion of the case critically elaborates the key factors of cognitive theory of Piaget and the implications of the same in relation to the case study provided. Overview of the Chosen (Cognitive Behavioural) Theory The basic concept of Piaget’s CBT is fundamentally defined as an effective and most successful therapeutic framework, which help individuals to manage different anxieties and changing their way of thinking and behavioural skills. According to an academic understanding, Piaget’s framework of CBT can be observed to involve both social and psychoanalytical aspects for identifying the major factors driving any behavioural change or traumatic disorder in human beings. It can be viewed in this regard that the rehabilitation process of the approach comprises significant societal aspects focused on representing the exploration of behavioural changes within an individual. The rehabilitation processes performed in the CBT approach correspondingly involve similar practices for identifying sociological attributes of the clients and differentiating his/her problems into a separate category. The differentiation in the societal problems is generally characterized in accordance with the physical feelings, thoughts, emotions and behavioural changes of the individuals. It has been argued that the above discussed theory possesses the capability to influence the behavioural attitudes and other cognitive facets of an individual, which in turn, enables him/het to effectively respond towards any adverse societal condition (Padesky & Beck, 2003). The treatment process under CBT helps to manage problems effectively in a more optimistic manner and encourages individuals to examine actions affecting their thinking capability by a greater level (Kinney, 1991). The therapeutic framework of Piaget’s CBT is observed to play an imperative role for an individual when dealing with anxieties, post-traumatic stress disorders along with other depression related scenarios. The therapy generally involves the current problems, instead of reflecting the past issues of the individuals and seeks to focus on demonstrating practical techniques improving their state of mind on a regular basis (National Health Service, n.d). Therefore, it can be stated that Piaget’s CBT is an appropriate therapeutic approach of treatment when an individual is facing depression and anxiety due to his/her past experiences. The treatment process of CBT provides adequate support to an individual, supporting him/her to deal with different sorts of problems or complexities relating to therapeutic aspects. The practice of effective set of CBT approach involves key features that can enable an individual to reduce depressive behavioural characteristics and other behavioural natures leading to different types of depressive behavioural traits. In various cases, it has also been apparently identified that an effective deployment of CBT approach also helps in effectively dealing with certain type of behavioural nature of an individual that might create irritable act while making contact with other individuals. Therefore, the practice of an effective CBT approach can provide an easier way to the individuals for identifying the major factors that can broadly alter their behavioural attitudes or anxious related concerns. In this context, a situation or a problem is generally led by certain attributes such as physical feelings, thoughts, emotions and actions. Therefore, the breaking down of the problem into different parts can be duly considered as the major principles of CBT, which can facilitate an individual to effectively deal with depression or any type of mental disorder syndrome (Robertson, 2010). From the perspective of social and psychoanalytical backgrounds, CBT approach is often identified to involve a rehabilitation process, which significantly relates with the cognitive and behavioural therapy focusing on thoughts, feelings and perceived problems or situations faced by the individuals. In this regard, the therapy or the rehabilitation procedures of Piaget’s CBT emphasises the thinking trends that further affects their thoughts and feelings in respond to the prevailing environment (Neenan & Dryden, 2010). Therefore, the CBT framework of Piaget can be duly accepted to deal with problems that undergo by an individual due to his/her anxious or depressive behavioural aspects. Critical Analysis of the Chosen (Cognitive Behavioral) Theory The conception of human development is firmly rooted on different theories as well as researches that are highly focused on efficiently understanding the behavioural patterns of humans. In this context, the aspect of CBT can be regarded as one of the major and most effective treatment processes, which tend to improve the capacity of individuals in accordance with their respective societal positions. CBT possesses wider range of experiential supports that can facilitate the individuals to efficiently deal with their attitudinal and anxiety disorders efficiently (Centre for Applied Research in Mental Health and Addiction, 2007). From a critical perspective, the practice of CBT approach is found to be much effective for the individuals to reduce the level of anxiety and depression resulting from different past experiences or situations. Piaget’s CBT approach is thus recognised to be one of the most influential processes in social work. According to a critical observation of the therapy, Piaget’s CBT approach provides a better understanding about differentiating between self and the objects present in the external environment. The CBT approach of Piaget includes a clear illustration regarding the maturation stages of an individual from his/her childhood to different life stages. It represents a clear illustration about the ability of an individual towards increasing the potentials to understand the different aspects of this modern world. CBT has long been considered to be one of the most influential theoretical approaches within human development field. The theory also helps to critically understand the societal growth of an individual throughout the stages in his/her entire life. Moreover, the theory also defines about the perceptual competencies of the individuals and evaluates their day-to-day activities (Joubish & Khurram, 2011). CBT is often identified as a prominent approach of dealing with both adults and children undergoing with any type of behavioural and cognitive developmental concern. According to a critical understanding of the approach, the primary aim of CBT is to help individuals in determining his/her possible cognitive deficits that substantially diminish effective growth of the cognitive skills. Moreover, the key aim of the therapy is also observed to enable individuals to embrace new thinking skills or to deal with irrational beliefs or thoughts that resulted from the past experiences. The process of embracing new thinking skills along with helping individuals to replace with more rational thoughts can also be regarded as few of the major aims of CBT. The implementation of CBT approach increases the ability of the individuals to measure thoughts in respond to the notion of rational principles. In addition, increasing individuals’ ability to perceive that a thought and/or belief can substantially empower an individual to change behaviour with a certain manner is also a major aim of following CBT approach (Grave & Blissett, 2004). Based on the critical understanding of the approach, it can be stated that Piaget’s CBT approach is effective when ensuring adequate importance in developing the behavioural aspects of the individuals, especially in diverse societal settings. With regards to the concepts as well as the roles of CBT, it can be affirmed that the approach is highly focused on developing individual’s psychoanalytical problems, analysing the past-experiences and characterizing irrational changes into different parts. Therefore, the approach can be fundamentally considered as an effective practice for the therapists in order to reduce depression, anxiety and other signs of traumatic disorder within the individuals (Padesky & Beck, 2003). In relation to the above context, the combination of the socio-logical attributes in CBT can effectively develop a strong set of practices towards addressing different social developmental issues such as anxious and depressive behavioural characteristics of the individuals. Moreover, the well-built set of inherent rehabilitation measures in the approach certainly empowers the therapeutic process of the experts to effectively deal with diverse forms of human related social issues. In addition, the effective set of psychoanalytical attributes within both the approaches along with their significance can also help the modern practitioners to provide effective and quality assured medication with the aim of lessening varied sorts of depressive behavioural traits of the clients. However, the critical assessment of both the approaches has also been witnessed to possess a number of different sociological attributes (Padesky & Beck, 2003). In order to critically evaluate the case of Jozef, the implementation of Piaget’s theoretical model can be duly considered to identify the major factors that led the individual to face major hurdles while working in the UK. Therefore, the critical stages in cognitive theoretical model of Piaget have been evaluated by considering the challenges faced by Jozef through the following sections. According to a critical assessment of the case, it can be ascertained that the conditions of severe anxiety as well as depression have experienced by Jozef. According to a critical understanding of the case, the current behavioural conditions of Jozef can be duly considered underneath the CBT model of Piaget. The characteristics as well as the aspects associated with the CBT framework would be an effective set of practice in order to empower the cognitive development of Jozef. The application of the Piaget’s CBT framework in the case of Jozef has been critically described in the following part of the essay. Application of the Chosen (Cognitive Behavioural) Theory in Case Study 1 As observed in the provided case study, Jozef, a 53 year old individual, spent most of the times in Slovak Republic. In recent years, Jozef shifted to the UK for seeking work in respect to carpenter profession. Since the individual left his family in Slovenia, he used to visit his home frequently in the initial stages of his stay in the country. In the later stages, his frequency of visit towards family members has declined considerably. However, due to a particular accident he met in the workplace that caused wrist injury, further led him to the loss of employment. This certainly impacted the behaviour of Jozef where he began to involve in frequent consumption of alcohol. Later he joined an alcohol prevention program wherein he received utmost support from the community alcohol team. However, this incident began to perceive the world around him in a negative manner and felt de-motivated about not been able to get employment again owing to his age and lack of physical ability. This has not only impacted the day to day life of Jozef, but also impacted his relation with family members in a negative manner. This particular case can be analysed with the help of the above discussed CBT theory. With the help of this particular theory, the behaviour of the individual can BE analysed with regards to his traits and thought process. It has been learned that emotions and thoughts are among the most vital components that shape the behavioural attitudes of an individual. There are various cognitive theories and elements that can depict the behavioural traits and features of any individual. For example, the CBT theory simply segregates the behavioural traits of any individual based on cause and effect relationships. For the provided case, it is quite apparent that the changes in behaviour of Jozef can largely be considered as an effect of certain problems prevailing in his life. His loss of employment and deteriorating relationship with family members and friends eventually acted as a cause and his negative behaviours can be dully considered as the effect of the cause. It will be vital to mention that the application of varied principles of CBT approach would be applicable in relation to the provided case study by a considerable extent. This applicability can found its relevance towards identifying the behavioural attitudes of Jozef and also determining effective approaches towards responding in any sort of adverse societal condition. It is worth mentioning that the development in the behavioural attitudes of Jozef would certainly aid in facilitating the individual to get equipped within varied societal settings and effectively respond towards adverse conditions prevailing in the community by a greater level. The principles as well as the factors that are extensively covered in the Piaget’s CBT approach found relevance to the growth and development stages of the individuals. In this context, the formal operational stage of the theory generally includes certain important aspects based on which individuals are more likely to pursue different behavioural and cognitive skills during this stage in life (Ojose, 2008). In relation to the provided case study, the significant decline in the quality of life of Jozef has certainly resulted in severe anxiety towards making contact with any individual. In relation to the context of Piaget’s CBT approach, the conditions faced by Jozef can be referred as a set of factors that have substantially reduced the prejudicial characteristics of his life. According to the theoretical perspective, it can be affirmed that significant deterioration in intergroup contacts as well as indifferences in terms of mutual interdependence of Jozef has further developed anxious and depressive behaviour. According to an in-depth understanding of the stages presented in Piaget’s CBT approach, social growth can be widely witnessed to get involved in each stage of the model (Genovese, 2003). In relation to the critical understanding of the case, the implementation of the critical stages in Piaget’s CBT approach can bring a major understanding about the current conditions along with possible rehabilitation activities to be developed for improving societal conditions of Jozef. In order to critically implement the approach of Piaget’s CBT approach, the ideas developed by the theorist can be determined to improve the current cognitive growth of Jozef. Therefore, in order to define an effective CBT approach for Jozef, the following ideas have been formulated as well as discussed in a detailed manner that will help in developing the current cognitive skills of the person: Assimilation and Accommodation According to the ideas presented by Piaget in relation to cognitive theoretical framework, it has been perceived that the concept of assimilation and accommodation simply define as an approach of generating greater awareness associated with varied perceptions and ideas. In relation to the concept developed by Piaget, the idea of assimilation and accommodation significantly helps individuals to shape their internal characteristics from different external factors (Wood & et. al., 2011). With due regards to the case study provided, it can be critically argued that the issue of feeling anxiety is shaped due to his illness resulted from excessive alcoholic habit or consumption. According to this case, the habit of consuming alcohol was developed due to his companion, which insisted him to consume alcohol throughout the day. However, the companionship with Community Alcohol Team has further improved his ability to give away the habit of alcohol consumption (Mandrell, 2006). Classification In relation to Piaget’s CBT theoretical approach, the idea of classification significantly defines about the process of categorising the common cognitive characteristics of an individual (Genovese, 2003). With due consideration to the case of Jozef, the classification of the leading factors that often induced him to consume alcohol would be a major process in terms of developing cognitive skills of the person. In addition, categorising problems that have faced by Jozef such as discarding relationship with family members and other individuals within his community would also help to determine an effective set of CBT practices. Moreover, the classification of the factors that led Jozef to become anxious in terms of making contact with his surrounding members will also help to define an effective CBT model. The social development initiatives led by the Community Alcohol Team can also be identified to provide a major support to Jozef for avoiding consumption of alcohol. Therefore, the classification of social care activities by the team will also help to define an appropriate CBT model for Jozef by a certain level (Tecklin, 2008). Schema In relation to the overall understanding of Piaget’s CBT, schema is one of the key ideas that help to define the cognitive skills of an individual. According to Piaget, schema generally helps to determine the actual ability in terms of representing his/her ideas, perceptions and actions performed by an individual over different life stages. The theorist has also claimed that the attributes associated with individuals’ schema conserve an equal action altogether in accordance with any situation or object. In relation to the case of Jozef, it can be found that the identification of the perceptions as well as different actions performed by the individual will help to determine his way of thinking (Boeree, 1999). Moreover, the idea of identifying schema will also identify the behavioural attitudes of Jozef regarding his association towards other members within the community. With this regard, the process will provide a major understanding about the requisite CBT activities that can help Jozef to remove his negative perception regarding the viewpoints of the community members. Stage Piaget’s ideas about stages in identifying cognitive growth define different life phases that enable an individual to appropriately identify his/her perceptions and actions (Watts & et. al., 2009). According to the case study provided, it can be perceived that Jozef has undergone through severe hurdles that made him quite anxious while making contacts with other individuals. In this regard, the stage when Jozef had started continuous consumption of alcohol after losing his job can be stated as a major phase of his life (Shaffer & Kipp, 2013). Nevertheless, sidestepping involvement with the family members is also a major stage of Jozef, which further resulted in him to be more prominent in terms of consuming alcohol. The adequate understanding about the perceptions made by Jozef along with his ideas would help to flourish his cognitive skills and improve his ability to make appropriate decisions. The process of determining perceptions and ideas of Jozef will also help to improve his quality of life, as the CBT model will substantially lower his anxious nature and help him to make contact with other individuals in the community. The process will also help Jozef to improve his perceptions and encourage participating in community practices in a broader manner (Ikiugu, 2007). Conclusion From the above analysis and discussion, it has been quite evident that the adverse consequences resulting from the changes relating to social development have major bearing upon the growth of individual cognitive actions. Moreover, the development of social aspects and behavioural advancement ensures greater reduction in the amount of several unfavourable consequences resulting from depression, anxiety and other relevant issues. From the overall analysis and discussion, several key factors relevant to the subject matter of the study can be compiled and presented. Throughout the critical analyses as conducted above, it can be perceived that people in the present day scenario deals with several key issues or problems in their day to day life, which further results in generating several challenges in their respective behaviours. It will be vital to mention in this similar context that these problems can be apparently noted as inability to take effective decisions, making better use of the available resources and acting accordingly in respond to varied critical situations among others. This aspect can be related with the provided case study, which depicted the problems faced by Jozef, an individual who have travelled from Slovenia to UK to seek for work basically of carpenter profession. In this similar context, it can be determined that the person has faced an accident in the workplace, which resulted into fracturing his wrist and consequently lost his employment. Owing to this particular incident, the individual had to deal with severe problems that further impacted his behaviour significantly. He began to get attracted towards alcohol on a continuous basis, which further impacted his societal image and relations with family members at large. Contextually, this particular research has utilised cognitive theoretical framework for comprehending the behaviour and mental stability of Jozef, as per the case study provided. Piaget’s CBT theory has been implemented in this particular study to determine the behavioural issues and problems of the individual. Correspondingly, it was also revealed that lack of proper understanding of the individual about the societal issues has contributed towards increasing his daily problems. His relations with the family members and mental behavioural conditions deteriorated immensely. Thus, in accordance with the above discussed facts, it can be concluded that personal and professional life of individuals and problems associated with the same generally impacts the behaviour and thought process of an individual by a considerable extent as evident from the case study provided relating to Jozef. References Boeree, C. G., 1999. Jean Piaget. Theory. 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