In which therapy would the therapist ask a client a question like ‘why should everyone love you’?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Cognitive Therapy
Option (1) Behavioral Therapy — Incorrect. Behaviour therapy changes faulty behaviour patterns through techniques such as reinforcement, token economy, systematic desensitisation and modelling. It does not question the client’s beliefs.
Option (2) Humanistic Theory — Incorrect. Humanistic therapy, such as Rogers’ client-centred therapy, gives a warm relationship of empathy and unconditional positive regard; the therapist reflects the client’s feelings without judging them, rather than disputing her or his beliefs.
Option (3) Existential Theory — Incorrect. Existential therapy, such as Frankl’s logotherapy, helps patients find meaning and responsibility in their life irrespective of their circumstances.
Option (4) Cognitive Therapy — Correct. In Aaron Beck’s cognitive therapy, negative automatic thoughts such as ‘nobody loves me’ are met by questioning, a gentle, non-threatening disputation of the client’s beliefs. ‘Why should everyone love you?’ is a standard example of such a question; it makes the client think in a direction opposite to the negative thoughts and leads to cognitive restructuring.
NCERT (2025-26): “Cognitive Therapy … Another cognitive therapy is that of Aaron Beck. His theory of psychological distress characterised by anxiety or depression, states that childhood experiences provided by the family and society develop core schemas or systems, which include beliefs and action patterns in the individual.…” “…Repeated occurrence of these thoughts leads to the development of feelings of anxiety and depression. The therapist uses questioning, which is gentle, non-threatening disputation of the client’s beliefs and thoughts. Examples of such question would be, ‘Why should everyone love you?’, ‘What does it mean to you to succeed?’, etc. The questions make the client think in a direction opposite to that of the negative automatic thoughts whereby s/he gains insight into the nature of her/his dysfunctional schemas, and is able to alter her/his cognitive structures. The aim of the therapy is to achieve this cognitive restructuring which, in turn, reduces anxiety and depression.…” |