Explaining Depression: Cognitive Approach

Question 1

two cognitive explanations for depression

Answer 1

Becks negative triad

Ellis’s ABC model

Question 2

outline Becks negative triad

Answer 2

One cognitive explanation of depression is Beck’s ‘negative triad’.

This is based on the idea that a person develops a dysfunctional view of themselves because of three types of negative thinking that occur automatically regardless of the reality of what is happening at the time.

These are negative views of:

1) The self (e.g. ‘I am worthless’). Such thoughts enhance any existing depressive feelings because they confirm the existing emotions of low self-esteem

2) The world (e.g. ‘Everything is against me’). This creates the impression that there is no hope anywhere.

3) The future (eg. ‘Nothing will ever change’) such thoughts reduce any hopefulness and enhance depression

Beck argues that this triad of negative thoughts creates a ‘cognitive vulnerability’ that may then lead to severe negative emotions and depression

Question 3

outline Ellis’s ABC model

Answer 3

Another cognitive explanation of depression is Ellis’s ABC Model.

According to Ellis, depression (poor mental health) is a result of irrational thoughts.

It is argued that it is not events themselves that might make a person think in an anxious or negative way, but how they think about the events.

Cognitive psychologists believe thinking and beliefs direct our feelings and behaviour and so irrational thinking can prevent a person from behaving rationally.

The ‘ABC Model’ argues that an ‘Activating Event’ (A) (eg. a nearby group of people laughing) leads to a ‘Belief’ (B) which might be rational (e.g. ‘they are laughing at their own joke’) or irrational (e.g. ‘they are laughing at me’).

This belief then leads to ‘Consequences’ (C) and it is argued that rational beliefs lead to healthy emotions (e.g. acceptance) whereas irrational beliefs lead to unhealthy emotions (e.g. depression).

Question 4

Evaluation: cognitive explanations of depression
- STRENGTHS

Answer 4

P: scientific
E: although negative thinking can’t be directly observed and measured, the explanation can still be tested in a controlled manner
E: eg, Clark and Beck (1999) reviewed research on ‘cognitive vulnerability’ to depression and found solid support for the idea this can accurately predict who is most vulnerable to depression
L: enables the approach to be supported by empical evidence.

P: practical applications
E: ‘Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy’ (CBT), which aims to change the way people think, has generally done well in outcome studies
E: eg, March et al (2007) found CBT was just as effective as drugs in treating depression (both were effective for 81%) of patients
L: suggests the approach has been useful in developing treatments that are effective in addressing depression

Question 5

Evaluation: cognitive explanations of depression
- LIMITATIONS

Answer 5

P: may be seen as ‘inhumane’ because it is not determinist
E: unlike the biological approach for example, which argues mental illness is caused by genes which are out of a person’s conscious control, the cognitive approach suggests the depression is a result of a person’s thinking which they can control
E: eg, argued that recovery from depression requires the patient to change the way they think
L: may be unhelpful to place a large burden of blame on a person already prone to negative thinking

P: negative beliefs are not always irrational
E: cognitive approach may ignore the fact that some people operate within severely disordered environments
E: eg, someone being abused may be accurate in thinking negatively about their lives if their lives are genuinely very difficult
L: focusing on the way people think in these situations may not be the best way of combatting such problems where it would be more helpful to change the situation they’re in

P: struggles to establish cause and effect
E: argues that irrational behaviour and beliefs might cause depression but some argue that this irrational thinking is a symptom, rather than the cause, of depression
E: eg, it may be that a depressed individual develops a negative way of thinking because of their depression rather than the other way around
L: approach may be misleading