A patient with an eating disorder states, 'I heard people laughing behind me in the check-out line at the department store. I bet they thought it was hysterically funny that I gained a pound in the last few days.' The nurse documents that the patient is exhibiting which cognitive distortion related to maladaptive eating regulation responses?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Personalization. Personalization is a cognitive distortion where an individual attributes external events to themselves without any evidence. In this case, the patient is assuming that people laughing were directed at them and related to their weight gain, which is a distorted belief.
A: Magnification involves blowing things out of proportion, which is not evident in this scenario.
C: Overgeneralization involves drawing broad conclusions based on a single incident, which is not happening here.
D: Dichotomous thinking involves seeing things in black and white terms, which is not demonstrated in the patient's statement.
In summary, the patient's attribution of others' laughter to their weight gain without evidence aligns with the cognitive distortion of personalization, making it the correct choice.