Depression Treatment - Cognitive Flashcards
CBT
Cognitive behavioural therapy works to challenge negative and irrational thoughts and replace them with effective behaviours.
Ellis’ DEF model
D - disputing irrational thoughts and beliefs (creating a cognitive conflict) e.g getting fired from work won’t end my life
E - effects of disputing and effective attitude to life e.g I can look for another job
F-feelings that are produced e.g I am happier in my new job.
REBT- logical, empirical and pragmatic disputing
Logical - self defeating beliefs do not follow from the event
Empirical - self-defeating beliefs are inconsistent with reality.
Pragmatic - self-defeating beliefs are so pointless.
Homework - alongside CBT
Patients are asked to complete homework of putting therapy into place in real life situations by challenging irrational beliefs.
Behavioural activation - alongside CBT
- pleasurable activities and being physically active can significantly improve depressive symptoms so patients are often encouraged to increase this behaviour.
Unconditional positive regard
If a client feels worthless, they will be less willing to consider change. If the therapist provides respect for the client without judgement, this could facilitate a change in attitudes and beliefs.
Process of CBT
- identify automatic negative thoughts about world, self and future (negative triad)
- dispute the thoughts (pragmatic, empirical, logical)- reality test.
- In future sessions if the patient says a negative thought then the therapist can present the evidence (to prove the statement to be incorrect).
Weakness- individual differences
- directness of CBT doesn’t suit everyone as some people just want someone to share their worries with without cognitive insight and development into recovery.
- also it has been proven that CBT is largely ineffective and inaccessible to people with learning difficulties.
+ Effectiveness research support
The effects CBT was compared with antidepressants in 300 adolescents and after the duration of time found that 81% of CBT and 81% of antidepressants group had significant improvements and 86% of both showed significant improvements. Shows effectiveness of CBT and that it is more effective when combined with drug treatment.
Support for behaviour activation (exercise)
Babyak (2000) randomly assigned 156 depressed adults to four months of aerobic exercise, drug treatment or both.
All patients improved, but six months later, the exercise group had lower relapse rates than the medication group, especially if they had continued with the exercise regime.
