Volume 20, Issue 1
Cognitive Conflicts (dilemmas) in Patients with a Diagnosis of Anxiety Disorders
Abstract
The following exploratory and descriptive studyidentifies a type of cognitive conflict, implicative dilemmas(ID), in patients with Anxiety Disorders (AD). The concept of IDrefers to the fact that symptom loosing, still being desirable, itcould lead to negative consequences for self-identity. Basedon a Constructivist approach and using Kelly's Repertory GridTechnique, this study compared the presence and number of IDsin a sample of 45 patients and in a group of 39 controls. Resultsshowed a significant difference between the presence of IDs inanxious patients (49%) and the control group (25%). If thesedilemmas express psychological conflict and suffering, anxietymight be a symptomatic manifestation. This idea signals theimportance of treating anxious patients not only symptomaticallybut also resolving the cognitive conflicts found. These results areparticularly relevant in developing and planning an efficient andadequate therapeutic focused intervention in function to patientneeds and to their cognitive structures.
Keywords
anxiety disorders, cognitive conflicts, implicative dilemma, constructivism, repertorygrid technique