Depression

Question 1

Depression causes people to have

Answer 1

Depressed mood, loss of interest, feelings of guilt or low self worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy and poor coordination

Question 2

Behavioural characteristics of depression

Answer 2

1. Activity levels
2. Disruption to sleep/eating
3. Aggression and self harm

Question 3

Emotional characteristics of depression

Answer 3

1. Lowered mood
2. Anger
3. Lowered self esteem

Question 4

Cognitive characteristics of depression

Answer 4

1. Poor concentration
2. Dwelling on the negative
3. Absolutist thinking

Question 5

The cognitive approach looks at …. To explain why people suffer with depression

Answer 5

People’s cognitions (thoughts/perceptions/beliefs)

Question 6

Becks theory of depression

Answer 6

People more likely to suffer with depression if they have a cognitive vulnerability

Question 7

3 factors needed to be cognitively vulnerable

Answer 7

1. Faulty thought processing
2. Negative self schema
3. Negative triad

Question 8

1. Faulty thought processing

Answer 8

The way in which a person thinks is flawed, causing depression

Question 9

Catastrophising

Answer 9

Dwelling on the worst possible outcome

Question 10

Overgeneralisation

Answer 10

Sweeping conclusions based on one single event

Question 11

Schema

Answer 11

Packages of information based beliefs we have developed through experiences

Question 12

2. Negative self schema

Answer 12

The way in which they perceive themselves is very negative

Question 13

3. Negative triad

Answer 13

Negative view of oneself, negative view of the future, negative view of the world

Question 14

Ellis’s ABC model

Answer 14

Depression due to irrational thinking

Question 15

1. Activating event

Answer 15

Ellis argued there had to be an activating event that people experienced in order to trigger their irrational beliefs

Question 16

2. Beliefs

Answer 16

Once activating event has occurred, it causes the irrational beliefs to develop

Question 17

Types of irrational beliefs

Answer 17

• the idea that we must always be perfect is irrational
• when people think something is a total disaster if it doesn’t go to plan

Question 18

3. Consequence

Answer 18

When external event triggers irrational beliefs, there are always emotional and behavioural consequences. Consequence is depression.

Question 19

Strengths of cog approach to explaining depression
Supported by research

Answer 19

P: the theories are supported by research
E: one study assessed 65 pregnant women before and after birth. Women that had high levels of cognitive vulnerability were more likely to suffer with depression after birth
C: having cognitive vulnerability increases risk of suffering with depression

Question 20

Strengths of cog approach to explaining depression
Developed treatments

Answer 20

P: useful in the development of treatments
E: CBT and REBT. Both aim to address irrational thought process thought to cause depression
C: improves quality of life

Question 21

Limitations of cog approach to explaining depression
Reductionist

Answer 21

P: the explanation is reductionist
E: cog approach argues people suffer with depression due to irrational thoughts. The humanistic approach would look at all causes eg trauma, genetics
C: limits understanding of depression

Question 22

Limitations of cog approach to explaining depression
Cause or consequence

Answer 22

P: cog approach fails to explain whether irrational thoughts are a cause or consequence of depression
E: psychologists unsure if someone has always had irrational thoughts or they developed depression and as a consequence changed their thought process
C: limits understanding of behaviour especially depression