Personality and Mood Disorders Q 9
A client completing requirements for student teaching reports to the nurse an incident in which a student was rude and disrespectful. The client states, “None of the students respects my teaching ability.” The nurse identifies this as an example of which common negative cognition?
A. Labeling
B. Fortune telling
C. Overgeneralization
D. "Should" statement
Correct Answer: C. Overgeneralization
The client in this situation is overgeneralizing the response of one particular student, inferring that the entire class has this attitude and blowing the incident but of proportion. Overgeneralization frequently affects people with depression or anxiety disorders. It is a way of thinking where you apply one experience to all experiences, including those in the future.
Option A: Labeling is the application of negative labels to oneself or others. This label may be a reasonable reflection of who they are right now, but it also carries a belief that the behavior reflects a person’s essence.
Option B: Fortune-telling is the conviction that things will not turn out right, despite evidence to the contrary. Fortune telling is a cognitive distortion in which you predict a negative outcome without realistically considering the actual odds of that outcome. It is linked to anxiety and depression, and is one of the most common cognitive distortions that arise during the course of cognitive restructuring.
Option D: “Should” statements refer to statements establishing standards for self and others. Should statements are a common negative thinking pattern, or cognitive distortion, that can contribute to feelings of fear and worry. They also put unreasonable demands and pressure on ourselves, which can make us feel guilty or like we’ve failed.