PREVALENCE OF COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

This study investigated the prevalence of cognitive distortions among adolescents in Pakistan. 1258 participants recruited through purposive sampling, falling in the age range of 16-22 years and studying in different Public sector collegesof Rawalpindi Division were administered the How I Think Questionnaire. The participants were placed into the following three categories; non-clinical, borderline and clinical range based on their responses on the „HIT-Q. This Questionnaire measures four types of cognitive distortions namely minimizing / mislabeling, self-centered, assuming the worst and blaming others. Results of the study revealed that of 17.17% (216/1258) of the participants were identified in in the clinical category on self-centered subscale whereas 13.83 % (174/1258) were in the clinical category of Blaming others subscale..48 % (148/1258) responses were in the clinical category on the “assuming the worst” subscale and 14.1% in the minimizing/ mislabeling subscale. 3.00-4.89 was the clinical range for the subscale of minimizing/mislabeling and Clinical range for “assuming the worst” subscale according to manual of the HIT-Q was 3.00-4.92. Meanwhile responses also indicated that 31.8% of adolescents scored high on oppositional defiance. 37.1% in physical aggression and 60% in stealing. Results suggest that adolescents in Pakistan has severe problem of thinking in distorted way and there is dire need for counselling centers to be established in every college in Punjab Pakistan.