P - the cognitive approach to explaining depression (AO3)

Question 1

What’s a strength of Beck’s (1967) negative triad and that faulty cognitions are linked to depression? - Supportive empirical evidence

Answer 1

===> Grazioli and Terry (2000) assessed 65 pregnant women for cognitive vulnerability and depression before and after giving birth. Women with higher cognitive vulnerability more likely to have post-natal depression. Supports theory that faulty cognitions lead to depression - increases validity of Beck

Question 2

What’s a strength of Beck’s (1967) negative triad? - Application to real life in a therapeutic setting

Answer 2

===> Gautum (2020) research has consistently found CBT to be one of most effective treatments for depression and works on principle that faulty thinking is responsible for it. If challenging faulty thoughts alleviates depressive symptoms, shows thoughts play main role and increases validity of explanation. Also, CBT is cost-effective and time bound treatment for NHS

Question 3

What is a limitation of Ellis’ (1962) ABC model? - Only explains reactive depression and not endogenous

Answer 3

===> People sometimes experience depression without an activating event (endogenous). His model is only partial explanation and Beck’s negative triad explains how individuals can develop a negative schema in these cases

Question 4

What is a limitation of both cognitive explanations? - Ignore the role of biological factors in developing depression

Answer 4

===> Argues depression caused by faulty or irrational thinking but research has indicated depression can be result of low levels of serotonin. Cognitive explanation may be more comprehensive when used alongside other explanations to give more holistic view of human behaviour