Unipolar Depression: One non biological treatment (CBT)

Question 1

What does Beck’s cognitive behavioural treatment aim to target?

Answer 1

Faulty cognitive conditions

Question 2

How does the treatment begin?

Answer 2

With an assessment

Question 3

Assessment: what does it look at?

Answer 3

aspects of the client’s condition, for instance severity of depression, past treatments or if there’s any other comorbid disorders like anxiety

Question 4

Assessment: how is it done?

Answer 4

Via questionnaires and interview techniques

Question 5

Role of education: why does the client need to understand the nature of their symptoms

Answer 5

Because they play such a big role in the therapy plan

Question 6

Role of education: How does the therapist try and help the client understand his symptoms

Answer 6

They provide an explanation along with sources of information to the client about their symptoms.

Question 7

Role of education: if the client understands his symptoms, how does that help with the therapy?

Answer 7

will be able to help the therapist find out what would make a good strategy to combat the illness.

Question 8

Role of homework: Give an example of how the therapist help challenge irrational thoughts

Answer 8

Telling the client to write down anytime someone is nice to them, so when they say things like ‘everyone hates me’ therapist can refer to this.

Question 9

How does a typical session of CBT go?

Answer 9

Start: quick assessment of how the clients currently functioning

Question 10

CBT session: what is an example of an assessment that might happen during a CBT session?

Answer 10

Beck’s depression inventory

Question 11

CBT session: after the assessment what happens

Answer 11

any changes in symptoms are talked over and the homework that was set is reviewed.

• Agenda then made for client to prioritise the most serious to be worked on.

Question 12

CBT session: How can the client and therapist work on the most serioous priorities

Answer 12

Implementing a CBT method like 3 question technique

Question 13

CBT session: what is the 3 question technique and what are the 3 questions asked

Answer 13

client asks 3 questions to themselves about their negative thoughts to challenge them

1. What is the evidence for this?
2. What are the alternatives?
3. So what?

Question 14

CBT sessions: how does the 3 question technique help clients

Answer 14

may help them prevent from jumping to conclusions and stop automatic negative thoughts.

Question 15

What is a strength of CBT?

Answer 15

It is supported by research evidence showing that its an effective treatment for people with depression

Question 16

Research support: Procedure and findings of the study that showed CBT was effective

Answer 16

239 random participants with depression were allocated into 1 of 4 groups. They compared CBT to anti depressants and a placebo pill

Found that CBT was as effective in recuding symptoms as antidepressants. CBT’s effectiveness was just as effective after 18 months.

Question 16

Research support: Procedure and findings of the study that showed CBT was effective

Answer 16

239 random participants with depression were allocated into 1 of 4 groups. They compared CBT to anti depressants and a placebo pill

Found that CBT was as effective in recuding symptoms as antidepressants. CBT’s effectiveness was just as effective after 18 months.

Question 17

Research Support: what does this evidence mean

Answer 17

Means CBT is effective in reducing symptoms for mild and moderate depression.

Question 18

What is a competing arguement for this research support.

Answer 18

It doesn’t provide help for people suffering with severe depression.

Question 19

Competing arguement: what did the same study find?

Answer 19

Antidepressants are better for people with severe symptoms of depression than CBT.

Question 20

Competing arguement: what were the relapse rates with CBT after 18 moths?

Answer 20

36%

Question 21

Competing arguement: what is an arguement against this competing arguement

Answer 21

a study in 2005 showed that CBT was equally effective for mild, moderate and severe symptoms of depression

Question 22

What is a weakness of using CBT

Answer 22

It’s a very challenging therapy.

Question 23

Weakness of CBT: Evidence to show its a challenging therapy

Answer 23

It has high dropout rates, because CBT takes alot of commitment to sessions and homeworkd tasks and can be very emotionally draining.

Question 24

Weakness of CBT: why are these high dropout rates an issue.

Answer 24

CBT costs alot of money for the NHS and makes it difficult to research its true effectiveness.

Question 25

What is a strength of the application of CBT

Answer 25

CBT can be applied to help prevent relapse into depression.

Question 26

Strength of application: explain how CBT can prevent relapse rates

Answer 26

Encourages clients to be more independant as they learn skills they can apply themselves.

• This will help them in the long term as they become familiar in ways to target irrational thoughts

Question 27

Strength of application: What will them knowing skills to target irrational thoughts lead to?

Answer 27

Leads to development of depression being less likely to occur