DEPRESSION [cognitive treatment]

Question 1

What is the most commonly used psychological treatment for depression?

Answer 1

Cognitive-behavioural therapy

Question 2

What is one of the central tasks in CBT?

Answer 2

Challenging negative or irrational thinking

Question 3

What is the process of CBT?

Answer 3

• assessment
• identifying goals
• challenge thinking to achieve goals

Question 4

How does CBT draw on Beck’s cognitive theory?

Answer 4

Patients challenge the negative triad and faulty thinking

Question 5

What is REBT?

Answer 5

Rational emotive behavioural therapy

Question 6

How does REBT draw on Ellis’ ABC model?

Answer 6

It expands the ABC model to an ABCDE model:
ACTIVATING EVENT
BELIEFS
CONSEQUENCES
DISPUTE
EFFECT

Question 7

What are the 2 types of disputing in REBT?

Answer 7

Empirical argument

Logical argument

Question 8

What is an empirical argument?

Answer 8

Using solid evidence to argue against an irrational thought

Question 9

What is a logical argument?

Answer 9

Arguing whether the thought logically follows the objective facts

Question 10

What is behavioural activation?

Answer 10

The therapist works to encourage the patient to engage in more social activities, therefore gaining more evidence to use against irrational beliefs

Question 11

What is the research evidence to support CBT?

Answer 11

MARCH compared the effect of CBT, antidepressants, and a combination of the two in 327 depressed adolescents
RESULTS
81% CBT improved
81% antidepressants improved
86% combination improved
= JUST AS EFFECTIVE AS MEDICATION

Question 12

What is a limitation of CBT?

Answer 12

It may not work on some severe cases, where the patient doesn’t have the motivation to engage with challenging thoughts
= CAN’T ALWAYS BE SOLE TREATMENT

Question 13

What has research shown about the importance of the therapist-patient relationship?

Answer 13

The effect of the therapy may be due to the therapeutic relationship rather than any techniques used

Question 14

What is a limitation of the ‘present-only’ focus of CBT?

Answer 14

Some patients may want to explore their past, and identify how their depression may link to past events

Question 15

What is a risk of overemphasising the importance of cognitions?

Answer 15

It may result in ignoring the external conditions of a sufferer - the situation they live in or the people around them may have a significant effect on their mental health, not just their cognitive process