What is the significance of cognitive distortions in therapy?

• A. They are innate and unchangeable.
• B. They only affect memory, not emotion.
• C. They are targets for change to improve emotional well-being.
• D. They are irrelevant to therapy outcomes.

Answer: (C)

Cognitive distortions are biased, automatic ways of interpreting events that shape how we feel. In therapy, they’re treated as modifiable targets: therapists help clients spot distorted thoughts, test them against evidence, and replace them with more balanced interpretations. This shift often leads to calmer emotions and better functioning because the way we think about events drives how we respond to them. For example, moving from “I failed completely” to “I didn’t do great this time, but I can learn and improve” reduces anxiety and disappointment and opens the door to constructive action. The idea that distortions are innate and unchangeable isn’t accurate, since CBTView treats thinking patterns as learnable. It’s also incorrect to say they affect memory alone, because distortions influence emotions and behavior as well. And they’re not irrelevant to therapy outcomes; addressing distortions is a central mechanism by which CBT improves emotional well-being.