Cognitive approach to depression

Question 1

What does the cognitive approach focus on ?

Answer 1

Focuses on cognitions (thought process) to make someone vulnerable to depression

Question 2

What is Beck’s negative triad ?

Answer 2

He looks at the faulty information processing:
- selective attention to negatives
- ignores positives
- absolutist thinking
He looks at the negative triad which shows how people develop a dysfunctional of themselves because of 3 types of negative thinking that occurs automatically.
The three parts are:
- negative views of the world
- negative views about self
- negative views about the future

Question 3

What was Ellis’s ABC model ?

Answer 3

Suggested an alternative cognitive explation suggesting depression was the result of rational thoughts.
There are 3 stages:
Activating events
Beliefs and consequences

Question 4

What is an example of rational thought’s using Elllis’s ABC model ?

Answer 4

• someone breaks up
• sad situation
• knows there’s more people out there

Question 5

What is an example of irrational thought’s using Elli’s ABC model ?

Answer 5

• Break up
• it’s all their own fault, they are a horrible person etc
• I will always be alone, i’m never going to be in love again

Question 6

What is an evaluation of Beck’s Negative triad ?

Answer 6

Grazioli and Terry – Looked at 65 women and their cognitive vulnerability + depression before and after pregnancy. They found a positive correlation between an increased cognitive vulnerability and increased risk of depression after birth. Increases the validity of Beck’s negative triad.

Limitation: Partial explanation
Not particularly well explained by cognitive explanations E.g some depressed people felt extreme anger and hallucinations

Question 7

What is the evaluation of Elli’s ABC model ?

Answer 7

Strength: Real-world application
There are psychological treatments which have now been developed due to the approach made by Ellis. This treatment is named REBT which stands for rational emotive behavioural therapy. This type of CBT is used as the doctor argues with the patient and their irrational thoughts and helps alter their beliefs and improve the depression

Limitation: Reactive and Endogenous depression
Explains reactive depression and not endogenous depression. Reactive depression occurs when reacting to a life event. Many cases of depression are not traceable to life events and there are no obvious reasons for the depression occurring