Cognitive - Treating Depression Flashcards
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
1) CBT is an example of the cognitive approach to treatment, though it also includes behavioural aspects.
• Cognitive - challenge negative, irrational thoughts.
• Behaviour - change behaviour so it is more effective.
Client and therapist work together.
CBT - Challenge Negative Thoughts
1) The aim is to identify negative thoughts about the self, the world and the future - the negative triad.
2) These thoughts must be challenged by the client taking an active role in their treatment.
3) Clients are encouraged to test the reality of their irrational beliefs, e.g. record when enjoying an event so that it can be used as evidence to prove client’s beliefs are incorrect.
Ellis’ - Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT)
Challenge Irrational Thoughts
1) A client might talk about how unlucky they have been or how unfair life is.
2) An REBT therapist would identify this as utopianism and challenge it as irrational.
• Empirical argument - disputing whether there is evidence to support the irrational belief.
• Logical argument - disputing whether the negative thought actually follows from the facts.
Behavioural Activation
1) As individuals become depressed, they tend to increasingly avoid difficult situations and become isolated, which maintains or worsens symptoms.
2) The goal of behavioural activation, therefore, is to work with depressed individuals to gradually decrease their avoidance and isolation, and increase their engagement in activities that have been shown to improve mood, e.g. exercising, going out to dinner, etc.
STRENGTH of CBT
EVIDENCE OF EFFECTIVENESS
1) Researchers compared the effects of CBT with antidepressant
drugs and a combination of the
two in 327 depressed adolescents.
2) After 36 weeks 81%
of CBT group, 81% of
antidepressants group
and 86% of CBT +
antidepressants group
were significantly
improved.
—> This means there is a good case for making
CBT the first choice of treatment in public health care systems like the NHS.
LIMITATION of CBT
SUITABILITY FOR DIVERSE CLIENTS
1) In severe cases
depressed clients may
not be able to motivate
themselves to engage
with the cognitive work
of CBT. They may not
even be able to pay
attention in a session.
2) Researcher suggests that any
form of psychotherapy
(including CBT) is
not suitable for
people with learning
difficulties.
—> This means that
CBT may only be appropriate for a specific range of clients.
COUNTERPOINT
1) New evidence concluded CBT was as effective as other treatments for severe depression - Concluded CBT can be effective for ppl with learning disabilities.
—> So CBT may have a wider application than thought before.
LIMITATION of CBT
HIGH RELAPSE RATES
1) Few early studies
looked at long-term
effectiveness and recent
studies suggest that
relapse is common.
2) Ali et al. (2017)
assessed depression
for 12 months
following a course
of CBT. 42% relapsed within six months of ending treatment and 53% within a year.
—> This means that
CBT may need to be repeated periodically.
