Psychopathology- Cognitive treatments for depression

Question 1

What does CBT aim to tackle simultaneously

Answer 1

Cognition and behaviour

Question 2

What is the time period of CBT

Answer 2

Usually weekly or fortnightly
Lasts 30 mins to an hour
Lasts from 6 weeks to 6 months

Question 3

What time frame does CBT focus on

Answer 3

The present

Question 4

In CBT why are the problems broken down into parts

Answer 4

To identify patterns of thoughts, emotions and actions

Question 5

What does CBT aim to challenge

Answer 5

Irrational thinking

Question 6

Identifying negative thinking patterns:
Encourages the depressed patient to talk about the specific difficulties they experience and identify any ________ ___________ ______

Answer 6

Negative automatic thoughts

Question 7

What does BDI stand for

Answer 7

Beck depression inventory

Question 8

What is the BDI out of

Answer 8

0-63

Question 9

How many questions are in the BDI and what are they scored out of

Answer 9

21
0-3

Question 10

What does each question on the BDI relate to

Answer 10

A different symptom of depression

Question 12

In CBT, the therapist seeks to challenge negative thoughts and present alternatives to the depressed individual.
What did Ellis call these alternative thoughts

Answer 12

Disputing beliefs

Question 13

What do disputing beliefs help an individual to do

Answer 13

Rationalise thinking

Question 14

What intervention techniques may the CBT therapist use to challenge negative cognitions

Answer 14

Relaxation techniques
Optimistic self statements

Question 15

True or false:
As CBT is a collaborative process, some new skills will be given to practise in homework assignments

Answer 15

True

Question 16

What happens at the end of the patients time with CBT

Answer 16

They take another assessment using self-reports (e.g the BDI), then the score is compared with the the first one.

Question 17

What were the three conditions March et al compared

Answer 17

CBT
Antidepressants
CBT and antidepressants

Question 18

How many adolescents were in March et al’s study

Answer 18

327

Question 19

What were the results of March et al’s study

Answer 19

After 36 weeks, 86% of the CBT plus antidepressant group had significantly improved compared to 81% of other groups

Question 20

Evaluating CBT as a treatment for depression
-evidence from March et al

Answer 20

There is evidence that supports the use of CBT with depression

March et al. (2007) compared i) CBT, ii) antidepressants and iii) a combination of CBT plus antidepressants in 327 adolescents.

After 36 weeks, 86% of the CBT plus antidepressant group had significantly improved compared to 81% of other groups

This illustrates the effectiveness of CBT in treating depression (without the unwanted side effects of medication e.g. addiction)

Question 21

Evaluating CBT as a treatment for depression
- aetiological fallacy?

Answer 21

The success of CBT could lead to an aetiological fallacy being made whereby we assume the causes of depression are cognitive because the cognitive treatments are successful.

For instance, just because some symptoms can be removed in CBT, does not necessarily mean the causes can be solely cognitive in origin

Therefore, it is important to keep an open mind to the causes of depression and not have this view narrowed by the success of certain treatments

Question 22

Evaluating CBT as a treatment for depression
-more effective long term treatment

Answer 22

CBT tackles the root problem of depression, unlike biological treatments such as antidepressants.

This improves the chances that the depressive episode will be short-lived and reduces the chances of relapses further down the line.
This could be because of the skill acquisition component of CBT helps to INOCULATE depressed patients against further episodes of depression

Therefore, it could be argued that the effects of CBT are more effective and longer lasting than alternatives

Question 23

Evaluating CBT as a treatment for depression
-Lubrosky

Answer 23

Some psychologists argue that improvements with CBT are actually rooted in the therapist-patient relationship.

It may be the quality of this therapeutic relationship that determines any improvement not techniques in CBT.

Luborsky (2002) has found very little differences between therapies, which supports the view that having someone to talk to who will listen matters most in recovery from depression.

Question 23

Evaluating CBT as a treatment for depression
-individual differences

Answer 23

One issue with CBT is that it requires motivation. Patients with severe depression may not engage with CBT, or even attend the sessions and therefore this treatment will be ineffective in treating these patients.

In addition, CBT seems to be more effective for those who have high a high degree of insight into their condition.

This may be because you need to be able to verbalise your inner thoughts AND mentally engage with the process of disputing faulty thinking.