EXPLANATIONS: PSYCHOLOGY BECKS THEORY OF DEPRESSION Flashcards
(9 cards)
How does Beck explain depression?
Cognitive distortions and negative schemes about the world form reality and contribute and maintain depression.
What are cognitive distortions?
- A biased, irrational (often negative) way of thinking
What are cognitive distortions caused by, according to Beck and how do they contribute to depression?
- Cognitive distortions often result from negative childhood experiences-) which result in the development negative schemas.
- These negative schemes are activated when faced with life events/experiences distorting perceptios.
Negative childhood experiences-)Cognitive distortions-)negative schemas
What are schemas?
Mental frameworks that help people
1. organize and interpret information
2. and guide responses to new experience.
Failure schema – “I’m not good enough to succeed”.
What is the cognitive triad proposed by Beck?
- Cognitive model that explains how negative distortions and schemes contributes to depression.
- It highlights 3 main negative thought distortions about the self, world and future (which reinforce each other/contribute to depression)
The self- cognitive triad
-
Negative views about the self (as worthless, helpless)
Results from attributing negative experinces internally
“I’m not good enough”
The WorLd- cognitive triad
-
Negative views about the world (as hostile)
*Results from misnterpreting external forces as against them.
“Everyone is against me”
The Future- cognitive triad
- Negative thoughts about the future (expecting it to be bleak/full of failure)
“I’ll never be happy or successful”
Summarise Beck’s cognitive explanation for depression.
- Depression is caused and maintained by cognitive distortions, and negative schemas (that affect perception)
- The Cognitive Triad highlights different negative thoughts that maintain negative perceptions.
