Psychopatholgy: The Cognitve Approach To Explaining Depression

Question 1

Outline becks theory of cognitive depression

Answer 1

• beck suggested a cognitive approach to explaining why some people are more vulnerable to depression than others
• it is a persons cognition that creates this vulnerability

Question 2

What three parts did beck suggest made up ‘cognitive vulnerability’

Answer 2

• faulty information processing
• negative self schemas
• the negative triad

Question 3

Outline ‘faulty information processing’ as the first element that makes up cognitive vulnerability to depression according to beck

Answer 3

• when depressed, we attend to the negative aspects of a situation and ignore positives
• we also tend to blow small things out of proportion and think in ‘black and white’ terms

Question 4

Outline ‘negative self schemas ’ as the second element that makes up cognitive vulnerability to depression according to beck

Answer 4

-a schema is a package of ideas and information developed through experience
- they act as a mental framework for the interpretation of sensory info
- a self schema is a package of beliefs we have about ourselves
- if we have a negative self schema we interpret all info about ourselves in a negative way

Question 5

Outline ‘the negative triad’ as the third element that makes up cognitive vulnerability to depression according to beck

Answer 5

• a person develops a dysfunctional view of themselves because of 3 types of negative thinking that occur automatically, regardless of reality
• these 3 elements made up the negative triad:
• negative view of the world
• negative view of the future
• negative view of the self

Question 6

What are the three evaluation points for becks cognitive theory of depression

Answer 6

• good supporting evidence
• practical application in CBT
• doesn’t explain all aspects of depression

Question 7

Outline ‘good supporting evidence’ as an evaluation point for becks cognitive theory of depression

Answer 7

• evidence supports the idea that depression is associated with faulty information processing, negative self schemas and the negative triad
• grazioli and terry - assessed 65 pregnant women for cognitive vulnerability and depression before birth and after birth.
• women judged to have been high in cognitive vulnerability were more likely to suffer post natal depression

Question 8

Outline ‘practical application in CBT ’ as an evaluation point for becks cognitive theory of depression

Answer 8

• forms the basis of CBT
• all cognitive aspects of depression can be identified and challenged within CBT
• including the components of the negative triad

Question 9

Outline ‘doesn’t explain all aspects of depression ’ as an evaluation point for becks cognitive theory of depression

Answer 9

• explains the basic symptoms of depression
• however, some depressed patients are very angry which becks cognitive theory does not account for
• sometimes depressed patients can suffer cortard syndrome, the delusion they are zombies (jarrett)

Question 10

Outline Ellis’s ABC model for explaining depression

Answer 10

• Ellis proposed that good mental health is the result of rational thinking - thinking that allows us to be happy
• conditions like anxiety and depression result from irrational thoughts
• Ellis used the ABC model to explain how irrational thoughts affect our behaviour and emotional state

Question 11

What does ABC stand for in Ellis model

Answer 11

A - activating event
B - beliefs
C - consequences

Question 12

Outline ‘activating event’ as the first component of Ellis ABC model

Answer 12

• Ellis focused on situations in which irrational thoughts are triggered by external events
• Ellis argued we get depressed when we experience negative events which trigger irrational beliefs

Question 13

Outline ‘beliefs’ as the second component of Ellis ABC model

Answer 13

• Ellis identified a range of irrational beliefs. E.g.
• musterbation - the belief we must always succeed/achieve perfection
• Utopianism -the belief that life is always meant to be fair

Question 14

Outline ‘consequences’ as the third component of Ellis ABC model

Answer 14

• when an activating event triggers an irrational belief, there are emotional and behavioural consequences
• e.g. if you believe you must a;ways succeed and then you fail at something, this can lead to depression

Question 15

What are the three evaluation points for Ellis’s ABC model

Answer 15

• it is only a partial explanation
• it has practical application in CBT
• doesnt explain all aspects of depression

Question 16

Outline ‘it is only a partial explanation’ as an evaluation point for Ellis’s ABC model

Answer 16

• some cases of depression do follow activating events. This is called reactive depression
• but this means Ellis’s explanation only applies to some kinds of depression and cannot explain depression that seemingly appears from nowhere

Question 17

Outline ‘it has practical application in CBT ’ as an evaluation point for Ellis’s ABC model

Answer 17

• it has led to successful therapy
• the idea that, by challenging irrational negative beliefs, a person can reduce their anxiety is supported by research evidence
• this in turn provides support for ellis’ theory because it suggests irrational beliefs had some role in the depression

Question 18

Outline ‘doesnt explain all aspects of depression ’ as an evaluation point for Ellis’s ABC model

Answer 18

• doesnt easily explain the anger associated with depression or the fact some patients suffer hallucinations/delusions
• same as beck