Scaling - Beliefs About Yourself

Absolutist thinking is a cognitive pattern characterized by rigid evaluations that infer totality, such as containing words like ‘totally’, ‘always’, and ‘never’ (Al-Mosaiwi, M., & Johnstone, T., 2018). This thinking style is often associated with negative core beliefs and several cognitive distortions, including all-or-nothing and catastrophic thinking styles (Beck, 1976; Padesky, 1994), as well as various mental health conditions, such as depression (Teasdale et al., 2001), eating disorders (Byrne et al., 2008), and suicidal ideation (Hughes & Neimeyer, 1993). Factors contributing to absolutist thinking include evolutionary, developmental, and schematic processes (Gilbert, 1998; Veen & Arntz, 2000).

Therapists can address absolutist thinking using various cognitive interventions, including cost-benefits analysis, examining the evidence, and perspective-taking techniques (e.g., Burns, 2020; Leahy, 2017).  Continuum techniques (also known as ‘scaling’) have been developed to target this style of thinking specifically (Freeman et al., 1990; Morrison, 2007; Padesky,1994). They involve applying continuous properties to discontinuous (absolute) appraisals,

"It sounds like you hold a negative belief about yourself. Can we do an exercise to explore how accurate your belief is?"

Step 1: Negative belief

Help the client identify the negative, absolute belief they hold about themselves. Absolute beliefs are often present in core beliefs and automatic thoughts, and usually take the form of extreme, global statements (e.g., “I am bad / unlikable / stupid”). Consider asking: 

"It sounds like you hold a negative belief about yourself. Can we do an exercise to explore how accurate your belief is?"

Step 2: Preferred belief

Help the client identify a preferred belief about themselves they would like to strengthen: this might be the opposite of the negative belief or a new, positive belief (Padesky, 1994). Ensure the preferred belief is stated in the client’s own words and contains emotionally resonant language by asking:

• "How would you prefer to see yourself?"
• "In a perfect world, what belief would you

• Al-Mosaiwi, M., & Johnstone, T. (2018). In an absolute state: Elevated use of absolutist words is a marker specific to anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation. Clinical Psychological Science, 6, 529-542. DOI: 10.1177/2167702617747074.
• Beck, A. T. (1976). Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders. International Universities Press.
• Beck, A. T., Freeman, A., Pretzer, J., Davis, D. D., Fleming, B., Ottaviani, R., Beck, J., Simon, K. M., Padesky, C., Meyer, J., & Texler, L. (1990). Cognitive therapy of personality disorders. Guilford Press.
• Beck, J. S. (2011). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond. Guilford Press.
• Brewin, C. R. (2006). Understanding cognitive behaviour therapy: A retrieval competition account. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44, 765-784. DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2006.02.005.
• Burns, D. D. (2020). Feeling great: The revolutionary new treatment for depression and anxiety. PESI Media and Publishing.
• Byrne, S. M., Allen, K. L., Dove, E. R., Watt, F. J., & Nathan, P. R. (2008). The reliability and validity of the dichotomous thinking in eating