Psychopathology - Depression

Question 1

Cognitive approach

Answer 1

• Cognitive = mental processes

- Focused on how mental processes (thoughts, perception, attention) affect behaviour

Question 2

Beck’s negative triad

Answer 2

• Beck proposed 3 kinds of negative thinking
• Negative view of world: “world is a cold hard place” impression of no hope
• Negative view of future: “no chance this will get better” reduce the potential of hope and enhance depression
• Negative view of self: “I am a failure” enhance depressive feelings and emotions of low self-esteem

Question 3

Ellis’s ABC model

Answer 3

• Proposed depression occurs when (A) activating event triggers (B) irrational believe which causes (C) a consequence
• Activating event: Get depressed experiencing negative event
• Irrational beliefs: Belief that everything that goes wrong is a huge disaster and will never go right
• Consequence: Activating event causes irrational belief which causes effects of depression as consequence. For example, person believes they have to always succeed and then fail, this causes depression

Question 4

Cognitive Behaviour therapy (CBT)

Answer 4

• Method for treating mental disorders based on cognitive and behavioural techniques
• From cognitive POV: therapy aims to deal with thinking and challenging negative thoughts
• From behavioural POV: Techniques like behavioural activation which includes gaining motivation to become active again and enjoy things you used to like doing

Question 5

Challenging Irrational thoughts

Answer 5

• Rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT)
• REBT therapist may spot irrational thoughts in a client and use a vigorous argument to challenge this
• The intended outcome is to break the link between negative life events and depression