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Mental model construction, not just memory, is a central component of cognitive change in psychotherapy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 June 2015

Ulrich von Hecker ,
Daniel N. McIntosh  and
Grzegorz Sedek
Ulrich von Hecker
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, United Kingdomvonheckeru@cardiff.ac.uk
Daniel N. McIntosh
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80210dmcintosh@psy.du.edu
Grzegorz Sedek
Affiliation:
Interdisciplinary Center for Applied Cognitive Studies, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, 03-815 Warsaw, Poland. gsedek@swps.edu.pl
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Abstract

We challenge the idea that a cognitive perspective on therapeutic change concerns only memory processes. We argue that inclusion of impairments in more generative cognitive processes is necessary for complete understanding of cases such as depression. In such cases what is identified in the target article as an “integrative memory structure” is crucially supported by processes of mental model construction.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 38 , 2015 , e28
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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