P: Cognitive Approach To Explaining Depression Flashcards
(9 cards)
What is the cognitive approach in terms of mental illness
Abnormality caused by irrational thought processes
Individual is the cause of their own behaviour because they control their own thoughts
How people perceive reason and judge the world is at the root of many disorders
Beck’s negative triad
- Negative view of the self
- Of the world
- Of the future
Beck’s cognitive theory of depression
- Faulty information processing (pay more attention to the negative aspect of situations)
- Negative self schema
- Negative triad
What does a pessimistic view result in?
Becomes a sled fulfilling prophecy
Leads to cognitive bias
Depressed people focus on negative aspects
Trapped in vicious circle of depression
Weissman and Beck (1978)
Thought processes of depressed people measured using dysfunctional attitude scale
Asked to fill in questionnaire
Depressed people made more negative assessments than non depressed people
What is Ellis’ ABC model (1962) based on?
Irrational beliefs are the source of depression
Not what happens but how someone handles it that causes depression
Ellis’ ABC model (1962)
A: Activating event
B: Belief —>irrational
C: Consequence —> irrational beliefs lead to unhealthy emotional responses
E.g.
My mum got angry at me for nothing
She hates me
No one will ever love me
Evaluation of Beck’s cognitive triad
Good supporting research
Practical application in CBT - all aspects of depression can be identified and challenged bed in cognitive behavioural therapy
Doesn’t explain all aspects of depression
Only basic symptoms
Not a her, hallucinations, bizarre beliefs
Evaluation of Ellis’ ABC model
Lead to successful therapy- challenge irrational negative beliefs
Limited explanation- doesn’t explain anger to hallucinations or delusions
No doubt that some case of depressions follow activating events (reactive depression)
