Lesson 9 - Cognitive Model of Depression

Question 1

What does the cognitive approach theorise?

Answer 1

It theories that negative / irrational thinking directly link into depression.

Question 2

Who came up with the cognitive triad?

Answer 2

Beck (1960)

Question 3

Why does Beck believe that people become depressed?

Answer 3

Beck claims that people become depressed via negative schemas which dominate their thinking.

Question 4

What is a negative schema?

Answer 4

A negative schema is a mental framework that often develops in childhood due to over criticism. It causes depressive thoughts, and contains thought processes such as self-blame and ineptness.

Question 5

What are the 3 stages of the cognitive triad?

Answer 5

1) Negative thoughts about self
2) Negative thoughts about the world
3) Negative thoughts about the future

Question 6

What are negative thoughts about self? (Triad)

Answer 6

The person has negative thoughts about themselves and might feel worthless and helpless. They criticise themselves at every opportunity:
e.g. “I am useless and I am no good at mathematics”

Question 7

What are negative thoughts about the world? (Triad)

Answer 7

The person has negative thoughts that extend to wider world around them. The negative and distorted thinking continues on a larger scale, “I am useless at everything I do”.
The statement evolved to become more global and negative.

Question 8

What are the negative thoughts about the future? (Triad)

Answer 8

The person begins to think negatively about their future which might seem bleak and negative; this can cause low self esteem. The person thinks negatively and gets depressed about the future, e.g. “I will always be useless at everything I do, and this will never improve”.
This then can lead to suicidal thoughts, and it all came from initial negative thoughts

Question 9

Evaluation of the cognitive approach - highly influential

Answer 9

It as become a very influential approach during psychology in the last 30 years. It is based upon objective research that permits testing. It is clear that distorted and negative thoughts are common among patients, which clearly links with the development of the illness.

Question 10

Evaluation of the cognitive approach - Cause and effect

Answer 10

A limitation is that the cognitive approach is that the cause and effect are not clear. It is hard to say whether irrational thoughts cause depression, or depression develops first and then this causes the patient to think in a negative way. This cause and effect must be investigated further.

Question 11

Evaluation of the cognitive approach - Cognitive + Behavioural

Answer 11

The cognitive approach and behavioural approach would normally disagree with one another, but there have been attempts to combine them - “Cognitive Behavioural Approach”. The CB approach looks at both cognitive and behavioural elements, to understand how depression is caused.

Question 12

Evaluation of the cognitive approach - Terry

Answer 12

Terry assessed 65 pregnant women for cognitive vulnerability, and depression before and after birth. It was found that the women who had a high cognitive vulnerability, were more likely to suffer from post natal depression.
This supports the notion that negative thinking causes depression.

Question 13

Evaluation of the cognitive approach - Does not explain all symptoms

Answer 13

Beck’s theory does not explain how some symptoms of depression might develop. Some depressed patients can show symptoms of anger, hallucinations and bizarre beliefs (e.g. Cotard syndrome [zombie syndrome]). Beck does not explain how these patients could develop these viewpoints.

Question 14

Who made the ABC model for depression?

Answer 14

Ellis

Question 15

What do the A, B and C stand for in the ABC model?

Answer 15

A - Activating Event
B - Beliefs
C - Consequences

Question 16

What is the Activating Event (A)?

Answer 16

This is where patients record events that lead to negative thinking. The activating event can be something such as failing an exam or getting fired. This activating event has a negative effect on their mood and outlook.

Question 17

What are Beliefs (B)?

Answer 17

Patients record their thoughts that are associated with the event, which can sometimes be irrational, or rational. An example of this would be recording their thoughts on this event in a diary.

Question 18

What are Consequences (C)?

Answer 18

Patients record the emotional response to said beliefs. These irrational beliefs can lead to negative emotions such as feeling upset. The consequences can often spiral heavily and result in irrational considerations e.g. failing one exam and considering dropping out.

Question 19

What is mustabatory thinking?

Answer 19

It is a type of damaging and negative thinking that Ellis identified. An example of this could be, “I must be loved by everyone” or “I must excel in all areas”. An individual who holds these beliefs is bound to be disappointed or depressed, because these thoughts are too idealistic.

Question 20

Evaluation of Ellis’s ABC model - Bates

Answer 20

Bates (1999) found that depressed participants who were given negative thought statements, became more and more depressed. If psychologists can know what causes negative thinking, then they can develop more effective treatments for curing depression.

Question 21

Evaluation of Ellis’s ABC model - Cause and effect issue

Answer 21

It is not clear whether negative thinking causes depression, or depression causes negative thinking.

Question 22

Evaluation of Ellis’s ABC model - client blaming

Answer 22

The ABC model blames the client when looking at the causes of depression. It gives the client some power to change the situation and improve their symptoms of depression, yet this means that it overlooks the situational factors that could have caused the depression.

Question 23

Evaluation of Ellis’s ABC model - Zhang

Answer 23

The biological approach suggests that low levels of serotonin and genes may be responsible for depression.
Zhang (2005) found that there is a gene related to depression that makes it 10x more likely for someone to develop the illness. This clearly shows that the biological factors are more likely to cause depression than cognitive factors.

Question 24

Evaluation of Ellis’s ABC model - Objective

Answer 24

The ABC model is based on sound scientific evidence that permits objective testing. This allows more improvement of the model, and overall a greater understanding of the causes of depression.

Question 25

Evaluation of Ellis’s ABC model - Insecure attachments

Answer 25

There is evidence that people who develop depression in adulthood, often had insecure attachments in childhood. There is a clear link between childhood attachments and negative thinking.

Question 26

Evaluation of the cognitive approach (Beck) -