ERIC Number: EJ688496
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004-Mar
Pages: 32
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0033-2909
EISSN: N/A
Cognitive Approaches to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: The Evolution of Multirepresentational Theorizing
Dalgleish, Tim
Psychological Bulletin, v130 n2 p228-260 Mar 2004
The evolution of multirepresentational cognitive theorizing in psychopathology is illustrated by detailed discussion and analysis of a number of prototypical models of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Network and schema theories, which focus on a single, explicit aspect/format of mental representation, are compared with theories that focus on 2 or more explicit representational elements. The author argues that the latter theories provide a more complete account of PTSD data, though are not without their problems. Specifically, it is proposed that at least 3 separate representational elements-associative networks, verbal/propositional representations, and schemas-are required to generate a comprehensive cognitive theory of PTSD. The argument that the development of multirepresentational cognitive theory in PTSD is a paradigm case for the development of similar theories in other forms of psychopathology is elaborated, and a brief agenda is proposed promoting 2 levels of theorizing-deep, formal theory alongside more localized, applied theory.
Descriptors: Psychopathology, Epistemology, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Cognitive Restructuring, Theories, Comparative Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Opinion Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A