Cognitive approach to explaining Depression: BECK

Question 1

Cognitive Triad by Beck

Answer 1

• The cognitive model proposes that individuals who are suffering often have distorted and negative thinking.
• People who think this way are more prone to developing depression.
• Beck believed that people became depressed due to their cognitive bias which causes them to develop negative schemas that dominate their thinking.
• Negative schemas often develop in childhood due to overly critical parents.

Question 2

Negative schemas and Negative triad

Answer 2

• Two examples of negative schemas are self blame - where they believe they are to blame for all misfortunes - and ineptness - where they expect themselves to fail at everything.
• Negative schemas and cognitive bias maintains the cognitive triad.
• Stage 1: Negative thought about self e.g “i am worthless” and criticise themselves at every opportunity.
• Stage 2: Negative thoughts about the world e.g “I’m useless at everything I do” and their negative thinking extends to wider world.
• Stage 3: Negative thoughts about the future e.g “Nothing will ever change I will always be lonely” and this could lead to suicidal thoughts.

Question 3

Strength: Sound experimental research

Answer 3

• As the theory is based on sound experimental research, the theory has become very influential within psychology in last 30 years.
• Terry (2000) conducted a study where 65 pregnant women were assessed for cognitive unreliability and depression before and after birth.
• Results show that women with high cognitive vulnerability are more likely to suffer from post natal depression.

Question 4

Weakness + Strength: Cause and effect

Answer 4

• Cause and effect is not clear- it may be that negative thinking is an effect rather than a cause of depression.
• Evidence to show that negative thinking is involved in the development of depression.
• Psychologist measured negative thinking in non-depressed adolescents. 1 year later, the life events of participants over the last 12 month were assessed and whether they had depression.
• Results show that lose who have negative life experiences have increased likelihood

Question 5

Weakness: Cannot explain all causes

Answer 5

• ## Weakness is that it does not explain how some depressed patients show symptoms of depress might develop.