What is cognitive restructuring?

• A. The process of replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts and beliefs.
• B. A type of therapy focused on changing negative behavior by changing false thinking and beliefs.
• C. A method to label and mislabel oneself.
• D. A coping skills program that ignores thinking.

Answer: (A)

Cognitive restructuring is the process of altering unhelpful thinking by identifying automatic negative thoughts, examining the evidence for and against them, and reframing those thoughts into more realistic, helpful interpretations. This approach helps reduce distress by changing how you interpret situations, which in turn influences emotions and behavior. The option describing replacing negative thoughts with more adaptive beliefs best captures this idea, since the aim is to shift thinking to more accurate, constructive conclusions. It’s a technique commonly used within cognitive-behavioral therapy, not a method that simply labels oneself or ignores thinking, and it’s more about changing thinking patterns than about changing behavior alone.