This video introduces DACOBS - the Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale - one of the best tools to understand cognitive biases, limitations and safety behaviors in individuals. To
know more about this or other psychometric assessments - click here.
"We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are." Our brains are wired with shortcuts—heuristics—that help us make quick decisions. But what happens when those shortcuts become "bugs" in our mental software?
In this video, we explore the Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS), a ground-breaking 42-item tool designed to map the cognitive distortions that underlie mental health conditions, particularly psychosis and schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
📝 What is the DACOBS?
Developed by Mark van der Gaag and colleagues, the DACOBS represents the "cognitive turn" in psychosis research. Instead of focusing merely on the content of a delusion (what the person believes), the DACOBS measures the process (how the person processes information). It assesses 7 specific phenomenon that contribute to the formation and maintenance of delusional beliefs.
🔍 The 7 Phenomenon Measured
We take a deep dive into the seven subscales:
- Jumping to Conclusions (JTC): Making major decisions with little evidence.
- Belief Inflexibility: The inability to update opinions when faced with new facts.
- Attention for Threat: A hyper-vigilance towards danger.
- External Attribution: Consistently blaming outside forces or people.
- Social Cognition Problems: Difficulty understanding social cues/intentions.
- Subjective Cognitive Problems: The internal sense of "foggy" thinking.
- Safety Behaviors: Actions taken to avoid anxiety that actually reinforce it.
💡 Why is this important?
For individuals, this helps develop an understanding of their own behaviours and biases showing the way for self-improvement.
For learners and clinicians - especially those practicing CBT for Psychosis (CBTp), the DACOBS is essential for formulation. It moves the conversation away from "madness" and toward "thinking styles." It helps patients understand that their distressing beliefs are often the result of specific, identifiable processing errors—errors that can be corrected.
🧠 What you will Learn
In These Videos, You Will Learn:
- Part 1:
- Origins: The history of the Davos conference and the development of the scale.
- Structure: Breakdown of the 42 items and 7 subscales.
- Psychometrics: Reliability data (.85-.92 alpha) and validity in distinguishing psychosis from healthy controls.
- Part 2:
- Scoring: How to interpret the Likert scale results to build a patient profile.
- Pros & Cons: The efficiency of the tool vs. the risks of self-report bias.
📚 Reference
Van der Gaag, M., et al. (2013). The Davos Assessment of Cognitive Biases Scale (DACOBS). Schizophrenia Research, 144(1-3), 63-71.
📢 Join the Conversation
Have you tried the DACOBS? What do you think about the results? Do you think self-report is an effective way to measure cognitive bias? Or should we rely on behavioral tasks? Share your thoughts in the comments!
IMPORTANT LINKS
#Psychology #CBT #Psychosis #CognitiveBias #DACOBS #MentalHealth #Schizophrenia #ClinicalPsychology #Neuropsychology #AssessmentTools #cognitivetherapy
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