Psychopathology - cognntive approach to depression strengths + weaknesses

Question 1

What are the strengths of the cognitive explanation? 1

Answer 1

• can be evaluated positively in that it avoids the stigma of ‘mental illness’ and promotes psychological wellbeing by providing a ‘model for living’
• threre is evidence which supports the model

Question 2

What are the strengths of the cognitive approach to explain Depression? 2

Answer 2

• there is much evidence to support cognitive treatments of depression which gives credence to the explanation
• also evidence that there is a practical application to the explanation in the form of CBT in which all cognitive aspects of Depression can be identified and challenged

Question 3

Examples of strengths of the cognitive approach to explaining Depression

Answer 3

Evidence - Gustafson found that maladaptive thinking processes were present in those suffering Depression
- Researchers, Grazioloi and Terry (2000) found that pregnant women showing a cognitive vulnerability for Depression were more likely to develop postnatal depression which suggests Beck was correct in theorising cognition cause Depression

Question 4

What is the weakness of the cognitive approach in Depression involving origins of thinking?

Answer 4

• the approach can be criticised in that the origins of the thinking
• is not investigated and it is thought that such thinking patterns are a consequence rather than the cause of the problem
  i.e. biologists may argue that something physical causes the negative schemata

Question 5

What is the weakness of the cognitive approach of Depression involving a partial explanation?

Answer 5

• cognitive explanation is seen as only a partial explanation as it explains reactive Depression
• which is Depression caused by an activating event but fails to explain Depression when there is no obvious cause

Question 6

What is another weakness of the cognitive approach of Depression involving irrational thoughts?

Answer 6

• some so-called irrational thoughts, such as someone thinking that there must be something wrong with them after a relationship breakdown, may actually be true and therefore rational
• studies have shown that people suffering from depression are better at predicting the future than those who aren’t
• such people have been termed depressive realists by Alloy