Depression

Question 1

What are the behavioural characteristics of deposition?

Answer 1

• Lowered activity levels
• Disruption to sleep and eating behaviour
• Aggression and self-harm

Question 2

What are the emotional characteristics of depression?

Answer 2

• Lowered mood
• Anger
• Lowered self-esteem

Question 3

What are the cognitive characteristics of depression?

Answer 3

• Poor concentration
• Attending to and dwelling on the negative
• Absolutist thinking

Question 4

What are the three parts to Beck’s explanation of depression?

Answer 4

• Faulty information processing
• Negative self-schemas
• The negative triad

Question 5

What is faulty information processing?

Answer 5

Those with depression tend to focus on negative aspects and ignore positives. They also blow things out of proportion and think in ‘black and white’

Question 6

What are negative self-schemas?

Answer 6

If we have a negative self-schema we interpret all information about ourselves negatively. These can lead to cognitive biases, eg: individuals tend to overgeneralise and will draw sweeping conclusions based on a small bit of negative feedback.

Question 7

What is the negative triad?

Answer 7

A pessimistic and irrational view of three key elements in a person’s belief system, that is maintained by negative schemas and cognitive biases.

Question 8

What are the three parts in the negative triad?

Answer 8

• The self
• The world
• The future

Question 9

What beliefs are involved in ‘The self’ part of the negative triad.

Answer 9

Where individuals see themselves as being helpless, worthless and inadequate. eg: ‘I am unattractive and seem to note everyone.’

Question 10

What beliefs are involved in ‘the world’ part of the negative triad?

Answer 10

Obstacles are perceived within one’s environment that cannot be delt with.
eg: ‘everything is beyond my control’ or ‘they would all prefer someone else’s company.’

Question 11

What beliefs are involved in ‘the future’ part of the negative triad?

Answer 11

Personal worthlessness is seen as blocking improvement. eg: ‘I will always be useless’ or ‘I will always be on my own, there is nothing that is going to change that.’

Question 12

Who created the ABC model?

Answer 12

Ellis

Question 13

What does the ABC model stand for?

Answer 13

A - activating event
B - beliefs
C - consequence

Question 14

What is an Activating event in the ABC model?

Answer 14

Something happens in the environment around you. eg: a your teacher tells you they are unhappy with your work.

Question 15

What is Beliefs in the ABC model?

Answer 15

You hold a belief about the activating event or situation. eg: you see yourself as a failure after your teacher tells you they’re not happy with your work.

Question 16

What is Consequence in the ABC model?

Answer 16

You have an emotional response to your belief. eg: feelings of worthless because you see yourself as a failure.

Question 17

What did Ellis believe that depressives blame their unhappiness on?

Answer 17

External events

Question 18

What did Ellis believe was actually causing depressives’ unhappiness?

Answer 18

Their interpretation of external events.
(Activating event triggers an emotion which is seen as true -> individual has a negative view of themselves and loose confidence in themselves -> depression)

Question 19

What did Ellis believe was the difference between depressed and non-depressed people is?

Answer 19

The way they perceive themselves.

Question 20

What are the limitations of the cognative explanation of depression?

Answer 20

-Only provides a partial explanation of the disorder. Not all depression is caused by and activating event (reactive depression is)
- Some symptoms of depression include hallucinations & delusions which cannot be explained by Beck’s or Ellis’ theories. (Might be more valid with a biological explanation)

This reduced usefulness of cognitive explanations as they can’t be used to explain all types and symptoms of depression.

Question 21

What are the strengths of cognitive explanations of depression?

Answer 21

• Practical applications of the theories through CBT. eg: each aspect of Beck’s negative triad could be identified and challenged.
  It translates well to successful therapy.