Psychopathology - Cognitive Approach To Treating Depression Flashcards
What is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)?
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) is a method for treating mental disorders based on both cognitive and behavioural techniques. From the cognitive viewpoint, the therapy aims to deal with thinking, such as challenging negative thoughts. The therapy also includes behavioural techniques such as behavioural activation.
What are irrational thoughts?
Irrational thoughts are also called dysfunctional thoughts. In Ellis’s model and therapy, these are defined as thoughts that are likely to interfere with a person’s happiness. Such dysfunctional thoughts lead to mental disorders such as depression.
What is the main focus of Beck’s cognitive therapy?
The main focus of Beck’s cognitive therapy is to identify automatic thoughts about the world, the self, and the future – this is the negative triad. Once identified, these thoughts must be challenged. This is the central component of the therapy.
What are the key tasks involved in Beck’s cognitive therapy?
Beck’s cognitive therapy helps patients to test the reality of their negative beliefs. They might receive homework such as recording when they enjoyed an event or when people were nice to them. This is referred to as the “patient as scientist,” investigating the reality of their negative beliefs in the way a scientist tests a hypothesis.
What does Ellis’s rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT) aim to do?
REBT extends the ABC model to an ABCDE model – D stands for dispute and E for effect. The central technique of REBT is to identify and dispute (challenge) irrational thoughts. This involves vigorous argument, aiming to break the link between negative life events and depression.
What is behavioural activation in CBT?
Behavioural activation encourages a depressed patient to become more active and engage in enjoyable activities. This behavioural activation provides more evidence for the irrational nature of beliefs.
What is one evaluation point for the effectiveness of CBT?
CBT is effective. For example, March et al. (2007) compared the effects of CBT with antidepressant drugs and a combination of the two in 327 adolescents with a main diagnosis of depression. After 36 weeks, 81% of the CBT group, 81% of the antidepressant group, and 86% of the combination group were significantly improved. Thus, CBT is as effective as medication and helpful alongside it.
What is one evaluation point about CBT and severe cases?
CBT may not work for the most severe cases. In severe cases, patients cannot motivate themselves to engage with the hard cognitive work of CBT. When this is the case, it is possible to treat patients with antidepressant medication and commence CBT when they are more alert and motivated.
What is one evaluation point regarding the therapist–patient relationship?
Success may be due to the therapist–patient relationship. Rosenzweig (1936) suggested that differences between methods of psychotherapy might actually be quite small. All psychotherapies share an essential ingredient – the therapist–patient relationship. It may be the quality of this relationship that determines success rather than the particular technique used.
What is one evaluation point on overemphasis on cognition?
There is a risk of overemphasis on cognition. CBT may end up minimising the importance of the circumstances in which a patient is living. A patient in poverty or suffering abuse needs to change their situation, and any approach focusing on the mind rather than the environment can prevent this.
