Cognitive-client therapy was designed by David Wexler in 1974 and is based on Information Processing Theory.

Cognitive-client therapy was designed by David Wexler in 1974 and is based on Information Processing Theory.

• A. Information Processing Theory
• B. Attachment Theory
• C. Social Learning Theory
• D. Humanistic Theory

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is that cognitive-client therapy rests on Information Processing Theory. This theory treats the mind like a system that encodes, stores, and retrieves information, and it explains emotional distress as a result of faulty or biased processing of information. In practice, therapy targets these cognitive processes by helping clients identify automatic thoughts, challenge their accuracy, and replace distorted beliefs with more adaptive interpretations. By focusing on how information is processed—rather than on unconscious drives or learned behaviors alone—the approach explains why changing thinking patterns can alter emotions and behavior. Other theories emphasize different mechanisms, such as early relational patterns (Attachment Theory), learning through observation and reinforcement (Social Learning Theory), or personal growth and self-actualization (Humanistic Theory), which is why they don’t form the basis for cognitive-client therapy.

The idea being tested is that cognitive-client therapy rests on Information Processing Theory. This theory treats the mind like a system that encodes, stores, and retrieves information, and it explains emotional distress as a result of faulty or biased processing of information. In practice, therapy targets these cognitive processes by helping clients identify automatic thoughts, challenge their accuracy, and replace distorted beliefs with more adaptive interpretations. By focusing on how information is processed—rather than on unconscious drives or learned behaviors alone—the approach explains why changing thinking patterns can alter emotions and behavior.

Other theories emphasize different mechanisms, such as early relational patterns (Attachment Theory), learning through observation and reinforcement (Social Learning Theory), or personal growth and self-actualization (Humanistic Theory), which is why they don’t form the basis for cognitive-client therapy.