The cognitive approach-Explaining depression

Question 1

A01

Outline cognitive approach to explaining depression

Answer 1

Cognitive approach to explaining depression focuses on how are ‘mental processes’( thoughts,perceptions, attention) affect behaviour

Cognitive psychologists look at how irrational thinking ( cognitions) leads patient to suffer from depression

Question 2

A01

Outline BECKs cognitive approach

Answer 2

Beck explains depression as a vulnerability thats caused by the persons cognition
( way they think)
Beck proposed there are 3 parts to cognitive vulnerability
* Faulty infomation processing-focus on negative aspects of situation ignoring positives
* Negative self scheme-interpet info about themsleves negatively
* The negative triad -result of dysfunctional view further results in 3 types of negative thinking

Question 3

A01

Outline faulty information processing

Answer 3

When a depressed person focuses on the negative aspects of a situation & ignore the positives
these cognitive biases cause depressed person to see themselves as worthless

Question 4

A01

Outline Negative self schema

Answer 4

• A schema is packages of ideas & information developed through experience
  it act as mental framework for the p
  ppl use schemas to interpret world
• A self schema is a package of info ppl have about themsleves
  >depressed person with negative self-schema interpret info about self in negative way

Question 5

A01

The negative triad

Answer 5

Beck-person develops dysfunctional view of themselves because of three types of negative thinking,
> these 3 elements called negative triad
>negative views of world ‘world is cold place’ -have no hope
>Negative view of future ‘will fail in work’-reduces hopefulness enhancing depression
>Negative view of self-‘i am a failure’, worthless
all 3 contribute to cognitve vulnerability

Question 6

A01

Outline Ellis’s ABC Model

Answer 6

Proposed good mental health result of rational thinkin
Ellis sees depressio resulting from irrational thoughts
Ellis defined irrational thoughts as thoughts that interfere with ppl being happy
Ellis developed ABC model to explain how irrational thoughts lead to depression

Question 7

A01

Outline Ellis’s ABC MODEL-2nd cognitive explantion of depression
(key is irrational belief)

Answer 7

Proposed depression occurs when an activating event(A) triggers irrational belief(B)-producing consequence(C)
i.e emotional response
Proposed ABC model explains how irrational thinking leads to depression

Question 8

A01

A activating event

Answer 8

Ellis-we get depressed when we experience negative events & this triggers irrational beliefs
>e.g. ending relationship might trigger irrational beliefs

Question 9

A01

B- beliefs

Answer 9

The thoughts which the person associates with event
e.g irrational thoughts , i am so useless i will never get another job
Beck identified other irrational beliefs e.g utopianism-belief that life is meant to be fair

Question 10

A01

C consequence

Answer 10

when an activating event triggers irrational belief there are emotional & behavioural consequence
rational beliefss lead to healthy consequences ( new job)
irrational beliefs lead to unhealthy consequences ( believing will never deserve job)
e.g if person believes they must always succeed & then fail this can trigger depression

Question 11

A03

Real-world application
(Becks negative triad) applied in screening
cohen

Strength

Answer 11

• Becks cognitive model of depression applied in screening & treatment for depression
  Cohen et al- assessing cognitive vulnerability allows psychologists to screen young ppl at risk of developing depression in future & monitoring them
• assessing cognitive vulnerability can be applied to (CBT) that alter cognitions of ppl vulnerable to depression
• thus Cog vun useful in clinical practice

Question 12

A03

ABC model & Beck’s cognitive theory of depression share same disadvantage

Limitation

Answer 12

they cannot explain all symptoms of depression e.g. hallucinations, anger, Cotard Syndrome.
This poses a difficult practical issue in that patients may become frustrated that their
symptoms cannot be explained according to this theory
therefore cannot be addressed in therapy.

Question 13

A03

Real world application in treatment of depression
(Ellis’s ABC model)

Strength

Answer 13

• Ellis’s ABC model can be applied in treatment of depression
  Ellis’s approach to cognitive therapy is REBT
  >Idea of REBT -by arguing with depressed person, therapist can alter irrational beliefs making them unhappy
  >this can relieve symptoms of depression( David et al)
  >thus REBT have real world value

REBT-rational emotive behavioural therapy

Question 14

A03

Reactive & Endogenous depression
(Ellis’s ABC model)

Limitation

Answer 14

> ELLIS ABC MODEL explains reactive depression not endogenous depression
Ellis -explains depression triggered by A activating event
However, many Cases of depression not traceable to life events & not obvious what leads person to be depressed at particular times ( endogenous depression)
ELLIS ABC MODEL less useful explaining endogenous depression

Thus ABC model -only partial explanation of depression