Depression

Question 1

What are the emotional characteristics of depression

Answer 1

Sadness, a loss of interest and pleasure in normal activities

Question 2

What are the behavioural characteristics of depression

Answer 2

A shift in energy level; either reduced or increased
Sleep may be affected; insomnia or sleeping more
Appetite may be affected; reduced appetite or eating considerably more than usual

Question 3

What are the cognitive characteristics of depression

Answer 3

Negative thoughts, eg negative self concept, as well as guilt, a sense of worthlessness, negative view on the world

Question 4

What are the two cognitive approach methods to explaining depression

Answer 4

Ellis’ ABC model and Beck’s negative triad

Question 5

What is Ellis’ ABC model

Answer 5

A cognitive approach to understanding mental disorder, focussing on the effect of irrational beliefs on emotions

Question 6

What does the ABC model stand for

Answer 6

A - activating events (e.g you get fired from work)
B - beliefs (irrational or rational. E.g. i was sacked because they always had it in for me)
C - consequence - rational beliefs lead to healthy emotions (e.g acceptance) whereas irrational lead to unhealthy emotions (e.g depression)

Question 7

What is musturbatory thinking

Answer 7

The source of irrational beliefs - thinking that certain ideas or assumptions must be true in order for an individual to be happy

Question 8

What are the three most important irrational beliefs that Ellis identified

Answer 8

1. I must be approved / accepted by the person i find important
2. I must do well or i am worthless
3. The world must give me happiness or I will die

Question 9

What is Beck’s negative triad

Answer 9

A cognitive approach to understanding depression, focussing on how negative expectations (schema) about the self world and future lead to depression

Question 10

What is a negative schema

Answer 10

Depressed people have acquired a negative schema from childhood - a tendency to adopt a negative view on the world

Question 11

What can a negative schema be caused by

Answer 11

A variety of factors including parental and/or peer rejection and criticisms by teachers

Question 12

When are negative schemas activated

Answer 12

Whenever the person encounters a new situation that resembles the original conditions in which these schemas were learned

Question 13

What do negative schemas lead to

Answer 13

Systematic cognitive biases in thinking

Question 14

What is an example of systematic cognitive biases in thinking

Answer 14

Over-generalising, drawing a quick conclusion on self worth on the basis of one piece of negative feedback

Question 15

What is the negative triad

Answer 15

Negative view on self, negative view on the future, negative view on the world

Question 16

Evaluation for the cognitive approach to explaining depression

Answer 16

1. Issue with causation
2. An interactionist approach may be more appropriate
3. Supporting evidence

Question 17

Evaluation: issue with causation

Answer 17

Most evidence linking negative thinking to depression is correlational and doesn’t indicate negative thoughts as a cause of depression. So it is still unclear whether there is a cause and effect relationship. Does depression cause negative thinking? Or do negative thoughts cause depression? Beck came to believe it was a bi-directional relationship, where both elements influence each other (see diagram below). As a result, we cannot conclude from the research evidence that faulty thinking is the cause of depression.

Question 18

Evaluation: An interactionist approach may be more appropriate

Answer 18

Attempting to explain why or how depression occurs is complex therefore it could be argued that trying to explain depression from a purely cognitive standpoint may not be appropriate. There is ample research to support the role biological factors play in the development of depression for example, low serotonin levels and a genetic vulnerability in depressed people. However, the cognitive approach does offer a concise explanation for the distorted thinking present in people with depression, which cannot be explained well by a biological approach. Therefore, it may be better to explain depression by considering both the biological and cognitive approaches.

Question 19

Evaluation: supporting evidence

Answer 19

There is a wealth of supporting evidence for the idea that cognitive vulnerability links to the onset of depression, with depressives selectively attending to negative stimuli. For example, Boury et al. (2001) monitored students’ negative thoughts with the Beck depression inventory (BDI), finding that depressives misinterpret facts and experiences in a negative fashion and feel hopeless about the future. This supports Beck’s theory that people with depression often have biased, negative interpretations of the world.