The cognitive approach to treating depression

Question 1

Define CBT

Answer 1

• most used
• cognitive viewpoint therapy aims to deal with thoughts
• behavioural viewpoint therapy aims to deal with your actions in relation to those thoughts

Question 2

Outline Beck’s cognitive therapy

Answer 2

• aim is to identify the negative triad and challenge those irrational thoughts/beliefs
• also aims to help patients test the reality of their beliefs, this is sometimes referred to as the ‘patient as scientist’
• in future sessions if the patient enters the headset they once had the therapist can bring up moments where the reality of their claims were proven incorrect

Question 3

Outline Ellis’s rational emotive behavioural therapy (REBT)

Answer 3

• extends the ABC model to ABCDE, D(dispute), E(effect)
• central technique is to identify and dispute irrational thoughts
• disputing such ‘irrational’ beliefs may end in a vigorous argument, this is either to disprove the belief or break the link between negative events and depression

Question 4

What are the two different types of disputing

Answer 4

• empirical argument (disputing whether there is actual evidence for the belief)
• logical argument (using logic to disprove a belief)

Question 5

Define behavioural activation

Answer 5

• when therapist may encourage patient to be more active and engage in enjoyable activities

Question 6

What is a strength of CBT

refer t and outline March et al.’s study

Answer 6

• it is effective
• March at al compared the effects of CBT with antidepressants and the combination of the two in 327 adolescents
• 36 weeks +, 81% of the CBT group, 81% of the antidepressants group and 86% of the CBT + the ad were significantly improved

Question 7

What is a limitation of CBT

Answer 7

• may not work for more sever cases
• if patients are unmotivated given an ad
• although you can work around it with medication it is still a limitation because it means CBT cannot be used as a sole treatment for all cases of depression