Final answer:
Catastrophic thinking involves cognitive biases and significantly contributes to psychological factors that affect mental health. It is a result of the brain's heuristic processes leading to negative attributions that can predispose individuals to depression. Cognitive processes are central in cognitive-behavioral therapy and are crucial for understanding and treating mental health issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
Catastrophic thinking is closely related to cognitive processes and is a significant psychological contributing factor to mental health issues. Cognitive bias, which includes patterns such as catastrophic thinking, arises from the brain's use of heuristics, or 'rule of thumb' mental shortcuts that lead to quick, but sometimes inaccurate, judgements. Regarding the reformulated version of Seligman's study on depression, it suggests that the attributions individuals make for negative life events, particularly when they are internal, stable, and global, can lead to feelings of helplessness and potentially depression. Moreover, cognitive psychology focuses on the understanding of how thought, perception, and emotion are interconnected within cognitive processes. The strong influence of cognitive processes on psychological factors illustrates that they are indeed relevant to mental health.
For instance, the student who attributes poor performance on an exam to unchangeable and pervasive personal deficiencies is engaging in catastrophic thinking, which can affect their mental health and learn habits. Recognizing these biases and attribution styles can be crucial in preventing or treating psychological disorders such as depression. Furthermore, Cognitive-behavioral therapists incorporate these cognitive processes when treating patients, highlighting the importance of understanding and potentially modifying attribution habits for improved mental health.