Which example best illustrates catastrophizing?
A) Colette can't stop thinking about the way she embarrassed herself at a party last night.
B) Silas is nervous about the MCAT and decides to take a Stanley Kaplan study course to prepare.
C) Daniella's mother is ill, and Daniella feels guilty for not being home to take care of her.
D) Kiwane is taking his Psych 100 final and keeps thinking throughout the test that he is failing and will never get into law school.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Catastrophizing involves magnifying or exaggerating the negative aspects of a situation and imagining the worst-case scenario. Kiwane's thoughts during his test exemplify catastrophic thinking, as he is imagining extreme consequences (i.e. never getting into law school) without evidence to support them.

Which Example Best Illustrates Catastrophizing