Psychopathology- cognitive explanations for depression

Question 1

What does the cognitive approach blame depression on

Answer 1

Ask a result of a disturbance in ‘thinking’.
They focus on an individual’s negative thoughts, irrational beliefs and misinterpretation of events as being the cause of depression

Question 2

What did Beck three parts did Beck suggest for a cognitive vulnerability for depression

Answer 2

Negative triad
negative self-schemas
cognitive biases

Question 3

What did Beck say people with depression become trapped in

Answer 3

A cycle of negative thoughts

Question 4

What makes up the negative triad

Answer 4

Negative view of the self
Negative view of the world
Negative view of the future

Question 5

According to Beck, negative views stem from what

Answer 5

Negative self-schemas

Question 6

What is a self schemas

Answer 6

A package of ideas we have about ourselves

Question 7

What type of schemas have people with depression developed

Answer 7

Negative self schemas

Question 8

What is an ineptness schema

Answer 8

An expectation of failure

Question 9

What is a self-blame schemas

Answer 9

Feeling responsible for all misfortunes

Question 10

What are negative schemas further maintained by

Answer 10

Cognitive biases

Question 11

What do cognitive biases cause

Answer 11

A misperception of reality

Question 12

What is an arbitrary inference

Answer 12

A conclusion drawn without sufficient evidence.

Question 13

What is minimisation

Answer 13

Minimising any positive events in life

Question 14

What is overgeneralisation

Answer 14

Sweeping conclusions drawn on the basis of a single event

Question 15

Ellis proposed that good mental health was the result of what

Answer 15

Rational thinking

Question 16

What beliefs did Ellis argue were common in people with depression

Answer 16

Irrational beliefs

Question 17

In Ellis’ ABC model what do each of the letters stand for

Answer 17

A- activating event
B- beliefs
C- consequence

Question 18

In Ellis’ ABC model how do all the components effect each other

Answer 18

The activating event in which the response is affected by the individuals belief which results in the consequence

Question 19

In the Temple Wisconsin study of cognitive vulnerability to depression, who was the sample group

Answer 19

Uni students

Question 20

In the Temple Wisconsin study of cognitive vulnerability to depression, was any of the sample suffering from depression

Answer 20

No

Question 21

In the Temple Wisconsin study of cognitive vulnerability to depression, what were participants tested on and how frequently

Answer 21

On a negative thinking test, in which a high score indicated negative thinking
Every two months for two years

Question 22

In the Temple Wisconsin study of cognitive vulnerability to depression, what did the results show

Answer 22

Results for first 2 yrs showed 17% of those with high scores on negative thinking went on to experience a period of severe depression compared to 1% of those with low scores i.e. positive thinkers.

Question 23

In the Temple Wisconsin study:
Results for first 2 yrs showed __% of those with high scores on negative thinking went on to experience a period of severe depression compared to _% of those with low scores i.e. positive thinkers.

Answer 23

17
1

Question 24

Evaluating cognitive explanation for depression
- evidence

Answer 24

There is a wealth of evidence that supports the role of cognition in depression.

The Temple Wisconsin study of cognitive vulnerability to depression sampled Uni students, none of which were suffering with depression, and were assessed every few months for 2 years.

Results for first 2 yrs showed 17% of those with high scores on negative thinking went on to experience a period of severe depression compared to 1% of those with low scores i.e. positive thinkers.

This illustrates the significant role of cognition in cases of depression.

Question 25

Evaluating the cognitive explanation for depression
- practical applications

Answer 25

The explanation of depression has led to useful practical applications that help society and those suffering from depression

Beck and Ellis’ cognitive explanations form the basis of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).
Irrational negative beliefs are challenged and this can help to reduce depressive symptoms

Therefore, it could be suggested that the high success rate of CBT validates the cognitive theories.

Question 26

Evaluating cognitive explanations for depression
-incomplete explanation

Answer 26

It does not fully outline the steps and processes for how the sufferer came to think in this way in much detail.

Although negative thinking are symptoms of depression, how did this arise in the first place?
The cognitive approach is vague in establishing how this occurs and why certain people seem more susceptible to these type of thinking patterns than others.

This limits the extent to which we can practically use these theories and it could be argued that the cognitive explanation of depression is INCOMPLETE

Question 27

Evaluating the cognitive explanation for depression
-could be argued to be more complete

Answer 27

While not holistic, the cognitive explanations do take into account other aspects, such as genes and environment.

Beck and Ellis both suggest that aspects of the environment contribute to the development of depression and negative thinking.

Ellis discusses activating events whereas Beck suggests people develop negative outlooks in life because of rejection in childhood e.g. from friends, parents or even teachers

This suggests that unlike the biological or learning approaches this offers a more complete explanation of depression.

Question 28

Evaluating the cognitive explanation
-Better explanation from McGuffin

Answer 28

However, there may be better explanations for depression from the genetic explanation

McGuffin et al. (1996) found 46% concordance for depression in MZ (identical) twins compared with 20% DZ (non-identical) in total of 109 twin pairs with no evidence of the effect of shared environment.

This implies the cognitive explanation of depression can be seen as incomplete and reductionist.