Psychopathology - Cognitive Approach To Explaining Depression

Question 1

What does the cognitive model propose?

Answer 1

• individuals who are suffering from depression will have distorted + negative thinking
• people who think like this may be more prone to developing depression

Question 2

Who created the cognitive triad?

Answer 2

Beck

Question 3

What does beck believe?

Answer 3

• people become depressed because of a negative outlook and develop negative schemas = dominate their thinking

Question 4

Negative schemas

Answer 4

• often develop in childhood (parents/adults have been overly critical towards them)
• continue into adulthood + provide a negative framework = life viewed negatively = depressive thoughts

Question 5

Examples of negative schemas

Answer 5

Self blame (person feels they’re responsible for all misfortunes)
Ineptness (person expects themselves to fail at everything)

Question 6

Cognitive triad

Answer 6

• negative thoughts about self
• negative thoughts about the world
• negative thoughts about the future

Question 7

Negative thoughts about self

Answer 7

• might feel helpless + worthless + criticise themselves 24/7

Question 8

Negative thoughts about the world

Answer 8

• negative + distorted thinking on a larger scale e.g, ‘i’m useless at everything I do’

Question 9

Negative thoughts about future

Answer 9

• future might seem bleak and negative = low self esteem
• thinks negatively + gets depressed about the future

Question 10

Cognitive triad positive = influential

Answer 10

• very influential during last 30 years
• based on sound experimental research (objective + allows testing)
• negative thoughts = common for depressed patients + play key role in development of illness

Question 11

Cognitive triad negative (cause and effect)

Answer 11

• cause and effect not clear
• how do you know negative thoughts chase depression and depression doesn’t develop first from something else which then causes negative thoughts?
• cause + effect need to be investigated more

Question 12

Cognitive triad negative (behavioural approach)

Answer 12

• criticises behavioural approach
• behavioural approach - depression caused by learning + environment. Cognitive - negative thinking causes depression

Question 13

Cognitive triad positive (combining)

Answer 13

• attempts to combine cognitive + behavioural approach = ‘cognitive and behavioural approach’
• aim to look at both cognitive (negative + irrational thinking) and behavioural (classical + operant conditioning + social learning)

Question 14

Cognitive triad positive (Pregnant women)

Answer 14

• lots of evidence supports theory
• Terry (2000) assessed 65 pregnant women for cognitive vulnerability + depression before and after birth.
• women with high cognitive vulnerability = more likely to suffer post natal depression
• negative thinking causes depression

Question 15

Cognitive triad negative (symptoms)

Answer 15

• doesn’t explain how some symptoms of depression develop.
• e.g. anger, hallucinations + bizarre beliefs (cotard syndrome - patient believes they’re a zombie)

Question 16

Who developed the ABC model?

Answer 16

Ellis

Question 17

What did Ellis propose?

Answer 17

Depression is caused by irrational beliefs

Question 18

what does ABC stand for?

Answer 18

Activating event
Beliefs
Consequences

Question 19

Activating event

Answer 19

• patient record events leading to negative thinking + this is triggered by an event in the environment e.g. exam failure
• negative effect on mood + outlook

Question 20

Beliefs

Answer 20

• patient records their thoughts (irrational + rational) associated w event e.g. using a diary

Question 21

Consequences

Answer 21

• patient records emotional response to belief
• irrational belief can lead to negative emotions e.g. feeling upset
• ‘if I fail maths and I feel I’m not good at it, consequence = upset, useless and demotivated + can lead to me dropping out of the course

Question 22

Mustabatory thinking

Answer 22

• Can cause irrational + negative thinking that can be emotional damaging + lead to depression e.g. ‘I must be loved by everyone’
• bound to be disappointed/ depressed because thoughts = idealistic + high expectations

Question 23

ABC model positive (bates)

Answer 23

• Bates (1999) found that depressed participants who were given negative thought statements = more and more depressed. Negative thinking helps cause depression
• knowing what causes depression, helps provide effective treatments for curing depression (cognitive therapy)

Question 24

ABC model negative (not clear)

Answer 24

• not clear whether negative thinking actually causes depression
• depression may occur first (biology + genetics) = causes person to think in a negative + irrational way
• cause and effect!

Question 25

ABC model negative (blaming)

Answer 25

• blames client when looking at causes
• gives client some power to change + improve symptoms
• situational factors that helped cause depression are overlooked e.g. family problems
• only examining negative + irrational thoughts as cause

Question 26

ABC model negative (biological)

Answer 26

• biological approach criticises cognitive approach
• biological- suggests genes + neurotransmitters (low levels of serotonin) cause depression
• Zhang (2005) found gene related to depression = 10x more likely to develop depression
• states biological approach = more likely to cause depression

Question 27

ABC model positive (evidence)

Answer 27

• based on scientific evidence that allows objective testing
• allows improvement of model + greater understanding for causes

Question 28

ABC model positive (childhood)

Answer 28

• people who develop depression in adulthood tend to experience insecure attachments in childhood
• link between insecure childhood attachment contributing to negative thinking which can cause depression