| Abstract: | Research shows that the client who is emotionally distressed will have many negative or dysfunctional thoughts. Some of these thoughts are irrelevant or less important to the patient's problem. This means that some thoughts are more central to the client's problem than the others. Among these relevant central thoughts, one thought is hypothesed to be the most central to the client's problem. This is known as a critical thought and should be the most appropriate cognitive target for intervention. In addition, this paper suggests that the therapist/nurse should treat each of the expressed emotions relating to a negative event as a separate entity for assessment. Rationale and clinical strategies for the assessment, particularly on the identification of the critical thought, are discussed. |
