Which of the following is an example of a question used in disputation?

• A. How did this situation arise?
• B. What caused the problem earlier?
• C. Are these thoughts always true?
• D. Is there another way to look at this?

Answer: (D)

Disputation in CBT centers on challenging automatic thoughts by asking questions that promote cognitive flexibility and re framing. The best choice directly invites considering an alternative interpretation of the situation. “Is there another way to look at this?” prompts you to step outside the initial, negative view and explore a different, potentially more balanced perspective. That shift to a new lens is exactly what disputation aims to achieve: it weakens rigid or absolutist thinking and supports a more adaptive appraisal.

The other prompts tend to focus on tracing how things happened or on testing whether the thought is always true. While those can be part of evaluating a belief, they don’t as directly foster the immediate shift to a new viewpoint that disputation seeks.