7. Cognitive Approach To Explaining Depression

Question 1

state the 3 elements involved in Beck’s cognitive theory of depression/cognitive vulnerability

Answer 1

fault information processing, negative self-schemas, the negative triad

Question 2

what does the term ‘cognitive approach’ refer to?

Answer 2

approach that focuses on how our mental processes such as thoughts and perceptions affect our behaviour

Question 3

what does Beck’s cognitive theory of depression explain?

Answer 3

why some people are more vulnerable to depression than others

Question 4

what does Beck’s theory suggest about why some people are more vulnerable to depression than others?

Answer 4

that a person’s cognitions create this vulnerability

Question 5

how does faulty information processing occur?

Answer 5

when depressed we attend to the negative aspects of a situation and ignore positives, also tend to blow small problems out of proportion and think in black and white terms

Question 6

what is a schema?

Answer 6

a package of ideas and information developed through experience, they act as a mental framework for the interpretation of sensory information

Question 7

what is a self-schema?

Answer 7

the package of information we have about ourselves, if we have a negative self-schema we interpret all information about ourselves in a negative way

Question 8

what are the 3 kinds of negative thinking involved in Beck’s negative triad?

Answer 8

negative view of the self, negative view of the world, negative view of the future

Question 9

how does Beck’s negative triad make a person vulnerable to depression?

Answer 9

such negative views lead a person to interpret their experiences in a negative way and so make them more vulnerable to depression

Question 10

what did Ellis propose as an explanation of depression and when?

Answer 10

the ABC model, 1962

Question 11

how did Ellis suggest depression occurs through the ABC model?

Answer 11

an activating event triggers irrational beliefs which in turn produces a consequence - depression

Question 12

what did Ellis propose good mental health was?

Answer 12

the result of rational thinking

Question 13

how did Ellis define rational thoughts?

Answer 13

thinking in ways that allow people to be free of pain and happy

Question 14

how did Ellis define irrational thoughts?

Answer 14

not as unrealistic or illogical but as any thoughts that interfere with us being happy and free of pain

Question 15

Identify the A in Ellis’ model

Answer 15

Activating event

Question 16

Identify the B in Ellis’ model

Answer 16

Beliefs

Question 17

Identify the C in Ellis’ model

Answer 17

Consequences

Question 18

What are examples of irrational beliefs?

Answer 18

Musturbation
I-cant-stand-it-itis
Utopianism

Question 19

What is musterbation?

Answer 19

The belief that we must always succeed

Question 20

What is ‘I-can’t-stand-it-itis’

Answer 20

It is the belief that there is a disaster when things do not go smoothly

Question 21

What is Utopianism?

Answer 21

The belief that the world must always be fair and just

Question 22

3 AO3 points for Beck’s cognitive theory of depression

Answer 22

good supporting evidence, practical application in CBT, doesn’t explain all aspects of depression

Question 23

3 AO3 points for Ellis’ ABC model

Answer 23

partial explanation, practical application in CBT, doesn’t explain all aspects of depression

Question 24

AO3 point 1 for Beck’s theory: good supporting evidence

Answer 24

Grazioli and Terry (2000) assessed 65 pregnant women for cognitive vulnerability and depression before and after birth. Found that those women judged to have high cognitive vulnerability were more likely to suffer post-natal depression

Question 25

AO3 point 1 for Beck’s theory: good supporting evidence EXPANDED (further addition to point)

Answer 25

Clark and Beck (1999) reviewed research and found that critically cognitive vulnerability can be seen before the development of depression suggesting that Beck may be right about cognition causing depression at least in some cases

Question 26

AO3 point 2 for Beck’s theory: practical application in CBT

Answer 26

forms the basis of CBT in which all cognitive aspects of depression can be identified and challenged including the components of the negative triad which are easily identifiable. This means a therapist can challenge them and encourage the patient to test if they’re true

Question 27

AO3 point 3 for Beck’s theory: doesn’t explain all aspects of depression

Answer 27

explains the basic symptoms of depression but depression is complex. Beck cannot easily explain some patients experiencing extreme anger or suffering hallucinations and bizarre beliefs. Occasionally patients suffer Cotard syndrome, the delusion that they are zombies

Question 28

AO3 point 1 for Ellis’ ABC model: partial explanation

Answer 28

some cases of depression follow activating events and psychologists call this reactive depression but see it as a different kind of depression meaning that Ellis’ explanation only applies to some forms of depression

Question 29

AO3 point 2 for Ellis’ ABC model: practical application in CBT

Answer 29

the idea that by challenging irrational beliefs a person can reduce their depression is supported by research evidence (Lipsky et al. 1980)

Question 30

AO3 point 3 for Ellis’ ABC model: doesn’t explain all aspects of depression

Answer 30

very much the same as Beck’s in that although it explains why some people appear to more vulnerable to depression as a result of their cognitions it cannot explain anger or cotard syndrome