| Abstract: | Agoraphobia can severely constrict the life of those who suffer from it. Control-mastery theory is a cognitive psychoanalytic theory that posits that symptoms are caused and maintained by unconscious pathogenic beliefs. Two cases are discussed in detail to support the hypothesis that agoraphobic patients suffer from 2 pathogenic beliefs: The world is a dangerous place that punishes assertiveness and they don't deserve to have a better life. The role of unconscious pathogenic beliefs may serve as a bridge in explaining both the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy as well as the usefulness of longer term psychodynamic treatment in resolving the often significant residual symptoms of these patients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
