The cognitive approach to explaining depression

Question 1

describe the cognitive approach

Answer 1

this approach is focused on how mental processes (thoughts, perceptions, attention) affect behaviour
depression involves negative patterns of thinking and other cognitive processes such as schema

Question 2

describe beck’s (1967) negative triad

Answer 2

beck explained why some people are more vulnerable to depression than others, in particular it is a person’s cognitions that create this vulnerability
beck suggested three parts to this cognitive vulnerability
faulty information processing
negative self-schema
the negative triad

Question 3

describe faulty information processing

Answer 3

when depressed people attend to the negative aspects of a situation and ignore positives
tend towards ‘black and white’ thinking, something is either all bad or all good

Question 4

describe negative self-schema

Answer 4

schemas act as a mental framework for the interpretation of sensory information, a self-schema is the package of info people have about themselves
if this is negative, they interpret all info about themselves in a negative way

Question 5

describe the negative triad

Answer 5

beck suggested a person develops a dysfunctional view of themselves because of three types of negative thinking that occur automatically, regardless of reality:
a) negative view of the world
b) negative view of the future
c) negative view of the self

Question 6

describe ellis’s ABC model

Answer 6

ellis proposed that good mental health is the result of rational thinking
conditions like depression result from irrational thoughts
ellis defined irrational thoughts as any thoughts that interfere with us being happy and free from pain
ellis used the ABC model to explain how irrational thoughts affect our behaviour and emotional state

Question 7

what are the components of ellis’s ABC model

Answer 7

A - activating event
irrational thoughts are triggered by external events
B - beliefs
irrational beliefs, thoughts that interfere happiness
C - consequence
emotional and behaviour consequences, e.g., depression

Question 8

what is the research support for beck’s cognitive model of depression (STRENGTH)

Answer 8

clark and beck (1999) concluded that not only were these cognitive vulnerabilities beck proposed more common in depressed people but they preceded the depression
therefore, there is evidence to show an association between cognitive vulnerability and depression

Question 9

how is there real-world application of beck’s cognitive model of depression (STRENGTH)

Answer 9

assessing cognitive vulnerability allows psychologists to screen young people, identifying those most at risk of developing depression in the future and monitoring them
can also be applied to CBT
therefore, an understanding of cognitive vulnerability is useful in multiple areas of clinical practice

Question 10

how is there real-world application of ellis’s ABC model in the treatment of depression (STRENGTH)

Answer 10

rational emotive behaviour therapy - vigorously arguing with a depressed person the therapist can alter the irrational beliefs that are making them unhappy
REBT relieves the symptoms of depression
therefore, ABC model has real-world value

Question 11

how does ellis’s ABC model only explain reactive depression and not endogenous depression (LIMITATION)

Answer 11

depression is often triggered by activating events, such cases are sometimes called reactive depression
however, sometimes it is not obvious what leads the person to become depressed, endogenous depression
therefore, ellis’s ABC model is a partial explanation