CART Cognitive Restructuring for Anger 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client believes 'If I'm not in control, something terrible will happen.' This belief increases anger when others don't comply. What cognitive theme is central?
- Approval-seeking schema
- Control schema (Correct answer)
- Inferiority schema
- Abandonment schema
Correct answer: Control schema
Control schemas generate anger when the client perceives threats to their sense of authority or predictability over events.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of a balanced alternative thought for 'My boss hates me and wants me to fail'?
- My boss definitely likes me and wants me to succeed
- My boss might have been stressed today; their behavior isn't necessarily about me (Correct answer)
- I should find a new job immediately
- I need to avoid my boss to protect myself
Correct answer: My boss might have been stressed today; their behavior isn't necessarily about me
A balanced alternative acknowledges uncertainty and considers non-personal explanations rather than swinging to the opposite extreme.
Question 3: In CBT for anger, 'hot thoughts' refer to:
- Thoughts that arise only during physical exercise
- The most emotionally charged thoughts that fuel anger at peak intensity (Correct answer)
- Positive affirmations used during relaxation
- Background worries unrelated to the current trigger
Correct answer: The most emotionally charged thoughts that fuel anger at peak intensity
Hot thoughts are the core cognitions most directly linked to anger escalation in a specific triggering situation.
Question 4: A client frequently thinks 'People should always keep their promises.' According to REBT, this is an example of:
- A healthy preference
- A demandingness belief (Correct answer)
- An adaptive coping statement
- A positive self-instruction
Correct answer: A demandingness belief
REBT identifies absolutistic 'should' and 'must' statements as irrational demandingness beliefs that create unnecessary anger.
Question 5: A therapist asks a client: 'What is the worst that could actually happen, and how would you cope?' This is designed to:
- Reinforce the client's catastrophic thinking
- Conduct a downward arrow technique to access core beliefs
- Test the client's problem-solving abilities under pressure
- Challenge catastrophizing by building coping self-efficacy (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Challenge catastrophizing by building coping self-efficacy
By realistically confronting worst-case scenarios and identifying coping resources, clients reduce catastrophizing and anger intensity.
Question 6: Which cognitive restructuring strategy specifically targets the meaning a client assigns to an anger trigger rather than the trigger itself?
- Stimulus control
- Reappraisal (Correct answer)
- Habituation training
- Response cost
Correct answer: Reappraisal
Reappraisal changes how a situation is interpreted, which alters emotional response without needing to change the trigger.
Question 7: During therapy, a client identifies that their anger peaks when they feel disrespected. The therapist explores the underlying belief. This process is called:
- Functional analysis
- Downward arrow technique (Correct answer)
- Flooding
- Graded task assignment
Correct answer: Downward arrow technique
The downward arrow technique follows the chain of 'if that were true, what would it mean?' to uncover core beliefs driving anger.
CART Cognitive Restructuring for Anger 3
A client believes 'If I'm not in control, something terrible will happen.' This belief increases anger when others don't comply.
What cognitive theme is central?