Cognitive Explanations Of Depression - Beck Flashcards
What are the three ways that we respond to failure according to Abramson?
We attribute the failure to a stable cause, internal cause or global cause
What does the cognitive explanation assume about the causes of depression?
This approach assumes that individuals suffering from depression have different thought processes to the rest of us who may occasionally experience low moods
According to Abramson, what do individuals with learned helplessness attribute failure to?
Internal, stable and global causes and experience negative and pessimistic thoughts
How does the cognitive approach believe we can treat depression?
It argues that by rectifying illogical thinking we can remove disorders
What does the cognitive triad consist of?
The self (I am a bad person), The future (Things will not improve) and experiences (My life is terrible)
What was the aim of Becks study?
To understand cognitive distortions in patients with depression
What method did Beck use?
Clinical interviews with patients undergoing therapy for depression
What design did Beck use?
Independent measures
Describe the sample used in Becks study
50 participants with depression, 16 males, 34 females aged 18-48 and a control group of 31 non-depressed patients
Outline the procedure used in Becks research
Face to face interviews, reports of patients’ thoughts before and during the session
What was sometimes kept and brought to sessions?
Diaries of thoughts
What were the results of Becks study?
Certain themes occurred in depressed patients that didn’t occur in non-depressed patients e.g. Low self-esteem, self-blame, overwhelming responsibilities, anxiety and paranoia
What was concluded from Becks research?
Patients showed cognitive distortions that deviated from logical and realistic thinking which is only related to depression and not another disorder
