The cognitive approach to treating depression Flashcards
What does REBT stand for?
Rational emotive behaviour therapy
Who developed REBT
Albert Ellis
What did Ellis extend his ABC model to?
ABCDEF
What does the D stand for in the ABCDEF model?
Disputing irrational thoughts and beliefs
What does the E stand for in the ABCDEF model?
Effects of disputing
What does the F stand for in the ABCDEF model?
New feelings produced
What does REBT focus on?
Challenging the irrational beliefs and replacing them with new and effective rational beliefs
What are the 3 types of disputing?
Logical, pragmatic and empirical
What is logical disputing?
Self-defeating beliefs do not follow logically from the information available
What is empirical disputing?
Self-defeating beliefs may not be consistent with reality
What is pragmatic disputing?
Emphasises the lack of usefulness of self-defeating beliefs
What are clients often asked to do between CBT sessions?
Homework
Give an example of CBT homework?
Asking someone out on a date when they had previously feared rejection
Why is CBT homework useful?
It allows irrational beliefs against reality and putting new rational beliefs into practice
What is behavioural activation?
Encouraging depressed clients to become more active and engage in previously pleasurable activities
What is unconditional positive regard?
When the therapist provides respects and appreciation regardless of what the client says and does
Why is unconditional positive regard important?
It convinces the client of their value as a human being
What are the 4 AO3 points of the cognitive approach to treating depression?
1) Research support
2) Individual differences
3) Support for behavioural activation
4) Alternative treatments
What did Ellis claim the success rate of REBT was?
90%
What was the average number of REBT sessions required?
27
What did one meta-analysis find about CBT?
It was more effective than no treatment
Why did Ellis theorise that his REBT wasn’t 100% effective?
Clients did not always reality test their new beliefs
Whose competence can explain variations in the effectiveness of CBT?
The therapists
What types of individual may be less suited to CBT? (2)
1) People whose beliefs are rigid and resistant to change
2) Individuals who would prefer to share their worries with a therapist without getting involved with the cognitive effort of disputing and homework
In what situation may CBT be less suitable?
Where high levels of stress in the individual reflect realistic stressors in the individual’s life that therapy cannot resolve
In the study that supports behavioural activation, how many volunteers were there?
156
In the study that supports behavioural activation, what condition did the participants all have?
Major depressive disorder
In the study that supports behavioural activation, what were the 3 experimental groups?
A 4 month aerobic exercise programme, a 4 month drug plan or a combination of both
In the study that supports behavioural activation, what was found of all the experimental groups?
They all experienced a reduction is depression symptoms
In the study that supports behavioural activation, what was found after 6 months?
Those who had completed the exercise plan was less likely to relapse than those who just took drugs
Other than cognitive therapies, what are common treatments for depression?
Drug therapies
Why may drug therapies be better than CBT for depressed individuals?
They require much less effort
Why may CBT be unrealistic for depressed individuals?
They have low energy + motivation levels
What is the most effective treatment(s) of depression?
A combination of CBT and drug therapy
Why is a combination of CBT and drug therapy the most effective treatment of depression?
The medication allows the patient to focus on the demands of therapy
