Cognitive Approach To Explaining Depression

Question 1

what are the key assumptions of the cognitive approach to explaining phobias

Answer 1

1. depression is caused by faulty cognitions and thought processes
2. irrational and illogical thinking causes depression

Question 2

what is Ellis’ ABC model

Answer 2

• depression is cuased by faulty beliefs
• when we experience an unpleasant situation we try to explain it to ourselfs
• our beleifs about the cause of the situation create a reaction, about how we feel and what we behave - s=sometimes leads to symptoms of depression

Question 3

ABC

Answer 3

1. Activating event
2. Belief
3. Emotional consequence

Question 4

What is musturbatory thinking

Answer 4

• source of irrational thinking
• believing certain ideas or assumptions must be true in order for an individual to be happy
• Eg: I must do well in everything

Question 5

What is Becks negative Triad

Answer 5

• claimed that depression is caused by a negative self schema that maintains the negative triad
• negative view of the world, our selfs, and our future
• these thoughts automatically occur in deppressed people

Question 6

according to Beck when are these negative self schemas developed

Answer 6

• during childhood
• come from negative expereinces we have ad EG: critiscms from our parents, teachers, peers

Question 7

what is cognitve bias

Answer 7

• depressed people misinterpret and distort information

Question 8

examples of cognitvie bias

Answer 8

• arbitary inferences
• selective thinking
• overgeneralisation
• catastrophising
• personalising
• black and white thinking

Question 9

strength: supporting

Answer 9

I: evidence supports the congitve explanation for depression
E: groups of teenagers with negative and irrational thoughts were compaired those those that did not. 12 mnths ater those with the negative thoughts were more limley to be suffering from depression (Lewinsohn)
C: this shows that a faulty thought process may play a role in depression

Question 10

weakness: cause

Answer 10

I: negative thoughts may not necessary be the cause of the depression
E: not entirely clear whether depression is cuased by irrational thought processes, or whether irrational thought processses occur as a result from suffering from depression
it could be a result of depression and not the cause - should look for alternate explanations
C: congitve approach only explains cause and effect

Question 11

weakness: reductionist

Answer 11

I: cognitve explanation is accused of being reductionist
E: the approach reduces depression to maladpative, irrational behaviours
ingoring the important role tht other factors have in the disorder - biological factors ( genes and neurotransmitters)
C: depression is moslty caused by a combination of cfactors working togehter and not a singal cognitve explanation

Question 12

weakness: irrationality

Answer 12

I: the irrational beleifs expereinced by people wit hdepression may not be irrational in reality
E: what consistutes to be an irrational beleif is subjective and therefore depressed individuals may not display irrational beliefs at all, is a matter of opinion.
* research suggests that depressed individuulas are relaists and see things for what they actually are
* Alloy and Abrahamson - more likley to give accurate estimates of likelyhood of disasters happening in world coomapred to non depressed clients