Evaluation of cognitive approach for depression

Question 1

Support for the role of irrational thinking

Answer 1

Hammen and Krantz (1976)-depressed participants made more errors in logic when asked to interpret written material than non-depressed participants
Bates et al. (1999)-depressed participants given negative automatic-thought statements became more and more depressed
-correlation? do negative thoughts cause depression? or does depression cause negative thoughts?

Question 2

Blames the client rather than situational factors

Answer 2

Gives client power to change the way things are but may lead therapist to overlook on how life events may have contributes to mental disorder and how to change them

Question 3

Practical applications

Answer 3

Have both been applied to CBT, found to be best treatment for depression especially when used in conjunction with drug treatments
-if challenging irrational thinking then this suggests thoughts had role in the depression in the first place