Cognitive approach to explaining depression

Question 1

What does the cognitive explanation for depression suggest

Answer 1

Irrational thoughts/misinterpretation leads to depression

Question 2

What are the 2 explanations for depression

Answer 2

Beck’s cognitive triad

Ellis’s ABC model

Question 3

What are the 3 components of Beck’s cognitive triad

Answer 3

Faulty information processing
Negative self schemas
The negative triad

Question 4

What is faulty information processing

Answer 4

Depressed people make fundamental logic errors/focus on the negative and ignore positive

Prone to cognitive bias

Overgeneralisation - Generalise outcome of 1 bad situation to all similar situations

Catastrophising - Overexaggerating outcome of 1 bad situation and making it seem like a disaster

Question 5

What are negative self schemas

Answer 5

Schema - package of information used to interpret the world/organise the mind/predict (developed during childhood)

Negative self schemas come from negative experiences e.g. parents or peers

Information about themselves is interpreted negatively leading to depression

Question 6

What is the negative triad

Answer 6

Based on negative self schemas/cognitive bias

Negative view of self

Negative view of the world

Negative view of the future

Question 7

Outline Ellis’s ABC model

Answer 7

Depression is due to irrational thinking

A - Activating event
B - Irrational thoughts
C - Consequence

Question 8

Evaluate the cognitive explanation of depression

Answer 8

Real world application - Therapy - CBT/REBT (Counter - Social situations may reduce effectiveness e.g. domestic violence)

Research to support Beck’s cognitive triad - Depressed clients in study interpreted material more negatively than non depressed - links to faulty information processing

Limited explanation - Does not explain hallucinations

Reductionism vs holism - Can also be caused by low serotonin