T. Kempton et al., COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS AND PSYCHIATRIC-DIAGNOSIS IN DUALLY DIAGNOSED ADOLESCENTS, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 33(2), 1994, pp. 217-222
Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristic
s and patterns of cognitive distortions among psychiatrically hospital
ized adolescents. Method: Measures of cognitive distortions, depressio
n, and hopelessness were administered to 135 adolescents on two psychi
atric inpatient units. Subjects were grouped according to their Axis I
diagnoses: depression only, conduct disorder only, depression and sub
stance abuse, conduct disorder and substance abuse, all three diagnose
s, and none of the three diagnoses. Results: Multivariate analyses of
covariance indicated that differently diagnosed adolescents exhibited
varying levels of cognitive distorting as measured by the Children's N
egative Cognitive Errors Questionnaire (CNCEQ). In particular, adolesc
ents with multiple Axis I diagnoses tended to score highest. On all bu
t one of four CNCEQ subscales, the depression only group evidenced as
much cognitive distortion as did the group with multiple diagnoses. Ho
wever, each diagnostic grouping demonstrated its own somewhat distinct
distortions based on CNCEQ subscales. Conclusions: Findings are discu
ssed in terms of the utility of differentiating cognitive styles for s
ubsequent treatment. It is suggested that disparate cognitive interven
tions could be matched with adolescents displaying particular problems
.