Psychological Models Of Abnormal Behaviour Essay

Evaluate Psychological models for abnormal behaviour (psychoanalytic, learning & cognitive) which in your view is the most convincing?
There are three main models of abnormal behaviour which include the cognitive model, the learning model and the psychoanalytic model. Each model is a general structure made up of guidelines and individual ideas of abnormal behaviour which are all supported by research and studies. However, it is argued about within psychology about which model is the most convincing. Each model has a different and individual approach to abnormal behaviour. This essay will focus on each of the models and which one is the most convincing overall. (250)
One model of abnormal behaviour is the cognitive model. The cognitive model is the model out of the three main models that is the most widely adopted. Sue, Sue and Sue (2005) explain that
the cognitive model was formed with the idea that faulty thinking and irrational thoughts and beliefs affects the way a person behaves, their emotions and how they present themselves within society. They also offer a convincing argument that these people create problems for themselves as a result of this dysfunctional way of thinking because of the way in which they decode and understand situations they are placed in.
An example of this is someone who thinks of the worst possible outcome in every situation and catastrophizing their problems. For example, if a person with faulty thinking had a sister who forget their birthday, they could start to have irrational thoughts such as thinking that their sister hates them and doesn’t care about them because they forgot and therefore creating a problem as this could lead to hostile feelings towards their sibling and create arguments between them as a result of this persons way of thinking. The cognitive model has been successful in explaining and giving psychologists an understanding of anxiety related disorders such as agoraphobia and has also given an insight into mood based disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder. Also, the cognitive approach has been the foundation of treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The cognitive model has been evaluated by many psychologists. Ridner (2014) states that cognitive
therapies that have been based on the cognitive model of abnormal behaviour have a high success rate in relation to changing a patients thought pattern and that patients who have been treated with cognitive therapies such as CBT have a better chance of dealing and coping with their mental illness rather than those who are being treated with other therapies that have been developed from other models of abnormal behaviour. However, Ridner (2014) also identifies the main limitation for the cognitive model as being that the model presumes that the cause of a person’s mental illness is the faulty thinking and irrational thoughts whereas psychologists argue that is only a symptom.
Another model of abnormal behaviour is the psychoanalytic model. Nevid (2008) states that the psychoanalytic model focuses on the unconscious conflicts