<p>In cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the definition of mental illness is associated with the level of functionality of the patient. The level of functionality is in turn related to present norms about illness in society, which can be put in relation to the existing norms in the society. In addition, the latter are discussed in relation to social constructivism theory. Here, Fromm and Marcuse are the most important theorists. On the basis of interviews with four patients in CBT, the aim of this study was to examine how the patients’ notions of mental illness and their problem definitions differed from the therapists’ view, and if the functionality focus was of any significance for the patients’ experiences of CBT. In the results, it is noticeable that the interviewees’ notion of mental illness affected the therapy outcome. Thus, the present study illustrates the importance of discussing what definition of mental illness is applied – not just in clinical cases, but also in a social context – and why.</p>
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA/oai:DiVA.org:su-1030 |
| Date | January 2006 |
| Creators | Lindqvist, Anna |
| Publisher | Stockholm University, Department of Psychology |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, text |
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