The Cognitive Approach to Explaining Depression

Question 1

What is the basis of depression according to the cognitive approach

Answer 1

Irrational thoughts and negative schema

Question 2

Who developed the cognitve approach to depression

Answer 2

Albert Ellis

Question 3

What model did Ellis create to explain depression

Answer 3

The ABC model

Question 4

What are the components of the ABC model of depression

Answer 4

A refers to activating event
B is belief, rational or otherwise
C is consequence, such as irrational beliefs or unhealthy emotions

Question 5

Where do the beliefs lie in the cognitive explination of depression

Answer 5

In musturbatory thinking, which is thinking that certain ideas or assumtions must be true in order for an individual to be happy

Question 6

What three important beliefs did Ellis identify as a part of musturbatory thinking

Answer 6

I must be approved of or accepted by those I find important
I must do well or very well or I am worthless
The world must give me happiness or I will die

Question 7

What happens to people who hold irrational beliefs according to Ellis

Answer 7

An individual who holds assumptions is bound to be, at the very least dissapointed, and at worst depressed. E.g person not depressed about failing an exam but because they hold an irrational belief surronding that faliure

Question 8

What did Beck suggest caused a depressed outlook

Answer 8

Aaron Beck suggested that depressed people feel the way they do because they have negatively biased interpretations of the world

Question 9

According to Beck, when do people aquire negative schema

Answer 9

During childhood

Question 10

What are the three elements of Beck’s negative triad

Answer 10

The self, the world and the future

Question 11

What do negative beliefs maintain in the cognitive approach to depression

Answer 11

Negative schemas and biases meantain a negative triad, a pessimistic and irrational view of three key elements

Question 12

What do negative schemas lead to

Answer 12

systematic cogntive biases in thinking where individuals overgeneralise, drawing sweeping conclusions of self-worth on the basis of negative feedback

Question 13

How has research shown a link between irrational thinking and depression

Answer 13

Hammen and Krantz found that depressed people make more errors in logic when asked to interpret written material than non-depressed participants did. Bates et al found that depressed participants who were given negative autnomatic thought statements became more and more depressed. However this research is corrolational, and doesn’t confirm that negative thoughts cause depresson, and instead could develop because of depression

Question 14

Who fed depressed people more depressing thoughts to make them more depressed

Answer 14

Bates et al

Question 15

Who found that depressed people make more logic errors

Answer 15

Hammen and Krantz

Question 16

Why might the ‘irrational beliefs’ of depressed people just make them realists

Answer 16

Alloy and Abramson suggest that depressive realists see things as they are, as depressed people gave more accurate estimates of the likelyhood of disaster than normal controls. This is called the sadder but wiser effect

Question 17

Who suggested that depressed people are just realists

Answer 17

Alloy and Abramson

Question 18

Why is it positive that the client is responsible for their disorder in the cogntive approch to depression

Answer 18

It gives the client the power to change the way they think, but in turn this could lead the client or therapist to overlook situational factors, for example not considering how life events or family problems may contribute to their mental disorder

Question 19

What is an alternate explination for depression (other than cognitive approach)

Answer 19

The biological explination of depression suggests that genes and neurotransmitters may cause depression, for example research supports the role of low serotonin levels in depression by finding a gene related to this was 10 times more common in people with depression. Success of drug therapies in depression also indicate neurotransmitters play an important role

Question 20

What may be a more approapriate model for depression between biological and cognitive

Answer 20

The diathesis stress model, which suggests that indivduals with a genetic vulnerability for depression are more prone to the effects of living in a negative environment, which leads to negative and irrational thinking.