Fourth Edition, September 2011

Concrete thinking 
Thinking characterized by immediate experience, 
rather than abstractions. It may occur as a primary, 
developmental defect, or it may develop secondary to 
organic brain disease or schizophrenia.
Conduct Disorder (CD)
Conduct disorder is a mental illness marked by a pat-
tern of repetitive behaviour wherein the rights of 
others or social norms are violated. Symptoms include, 
verbal and physical aggression, cruel behaviour to-
ward people and pets, destructive behaviour, lying, 
truancy, vandalism, and stealing.

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Making a Diff erence: An Educators’ Guide to Child and Youth Mental Health Problems
www.cymhin.ca
3 . 4
Glossary of terms and abbreviations
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioural therapy is a psychotherapeutic ap-
proach, a type of talking therapy that aims to solve prob-
lems concerning dysfunctional emotions, behaviours, 
and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic pro-
cedure. CBT is used in individual therapy as well as group 
settings, and the techniques are often adapted for self-
help applications. CBT was primarily developed through 
a merging of behaviour therapy with cognitive therapy. 
While rooted in rather diff erent theories, these two trad-
itions found common ground in focusing on the “here 
and now”, and on alleviating symptoms.
Coping mechanisms 
Ways of adjusting to environmental stress without 
altering one’s goals or purposes; includes both con-
scious and unconscious mechanisms. 
Constricted aff ect 
Aff ect type that represents mild reduction in the range 
and intensity of emotional expression.
Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COAST)
These services provide urgent assessment and short 
term intervention throughout the community to 
people in crisis due to a mental illness. Availability of 
these services varies in each community.