Psychopathology: Depression

Question 1

What is depression?

Answer 1

A mental disorder characterised by low mood and low energy levels

Question 2

What are the behavioural characteristics of depression?

Answer 2

• reduced levels of activity- this may become so severe that they withdraw from school, work or social life
• disruption to sleep and eating behaviour (can either increase or decrease)
• aggressive or self harming behaviour

Question 3

What are the cognitive characteristics of depression?

Answer 3

• poor levels of concentration and decision making
• dwelling on the negative, glass half empty view
• absolutist/black and white thinking

Question 4

What are the emotional characteristics of depression?

Answer 4

• low mood, feeling worthless or empty
• anger directed at both themselves and others
• lowered self esteem, which can be quite extreme

Question 5

What is a negative self-schema?

Answer 5

• a package of ideas and information developed through experience
• people use their schemata to interpret information in the world

Question 6

What is Beck’s negative triad?

Answer 6

Aaron Beck created the negative triad to explain why some people are more susceptible to developing depression than others, he proposed that it was due to faulty information processing

Question 7

What are the three elements of Beck’s negative triad?

Answer 7

• negative view of the world
• negative view of the future
• negative view of the self

Question 8

What are some positives of Beck’s negative triad explanation?

Answer 8

• supporting research found that people showing these signs of cognitive vulnerability later developed depression
• can be used to screen and treat depression before it reaches an extreme point

Question 9

What are some negatives of Beck’s negative triad explanation?

Answer 9

• some aspects of depression aren’t well explained by the cognitive explanation, such as people who experience hallucinations and delusions

Question 10

What is Ellis’ ABC model?

Answer 10

Ellis created the ABC model to explain how irrational thoughts affect our behaviour ad emotional state

Question 11

What are the elements of the ABC model?

Answer 11

A= activating event. According to Ellis, people become depressed when they experience a negative event
B= beliefs. Ellis identified a range or irrational beliefs. The belief that we must always succeed or achieve perfection is called “musturbation” and the belief that life is always meant to be fair is called “utopianism”
C= consequences. When an activating event triggers irrational beliefs, there are emotional and behavioural conequences.

Question 12

What are some positives of Ellis’ ABC model

Answer 12

• real world application to the psychological treatments of depression (REBT)

Question 13

What are some negatives of Ellis’ ABC model?

Answer 13

• it only explains reactive depression and not endogenous depression, meaning it is only a partial explanation
• it locates the responsibility for depression purely with the depressed person, effectively blaming them

Question 14

What is cognitive behavioural therapy?

Answer 14

• a commonly used psychological treatment for depression and other mental issues

Question 15

What is the cognitive element of CBT?

Answer 15

• the therapist identifies where the patient may be having irrational thoughts

Question 16

What is the behavioural element of CBT?

Answer 16

• the therapist works to change negative and irrational thoughts and replace them with more effective behaviours

Question 17

What is Beck’s cognitive therapy?

Answer 17

• it aims to identify the patient’s negative triad and then challenge them based on evidence
• it aims to get the client to test the reality of their beliefs, which is referred to as “client as scientist” and they are sometimes set homework

Question 18

What is Ellis’ rational emotive behaviour therapy?

Answer 18

• extends his ABC model to the ABCDE model D= dispute and E= effect
• an REBT therapist would identify the patients’ musturbatory or utopian thinking and challenge this as a belief
• this would involve a vigorous argument in order to break the link between negative life events and depression

Question 19

What are some positives of CBT?

Answer 19

• evidence for effectiveness, it’s proven that CBT is just as effective as drugs
• when used appropriately, it is suitable for clients with learning difficulties

Question 20

What are some negatives of CBT?

Answer 20

• high relapse rates mean that it is effective at tackling the symptoms, but doesn’t have long lasting effects
• some clients may prefer to just tackle their symptoms quickly, so taking drugs is better suited to them