Psychopathology - Depression

Question 1

Emotional characteristics of depression

Answer 1

Low mood
Anger/hostility

Question 2

Behavioural characteristics of depression

Answer 2

Changes in activity
Changes to sleeping
Changes to eating
Aggressive acts

Question 3

Cognitive characteristics of depression

Answer 3

Poor concentration
Poor decision making
Absolutist thinking
Focus on negatives

Question 4

What changes to activity levels would a person with depression show

Answer 4

Lethargy (reduced activity)
Psychomotor agitation (increase in activity)

Question 5

What changes to sleep may a person with depression show

Answer 5

Hypersomnia (increase)
Insomnia (decrease)

Question 6

What changes to eating may a person with depression show

Answer 6

Increased/decreased appetite (binging or anorexia)
Physical changes to weight

Question 7

How may a person with depression show aggression

Answer 7

Aggressive acts to self or others (self harm, fighting with others)

Question 8

What does it mean for a person with depression to experience low mood

Answer 8

Feeling sad or unhappy

Question 9

What does it mean for a person to feel anger in depression

Answer 9

Feelings of annoyance and hostility

Question 10

Absolutist thinking

Answer 10

Rigid expectations for self and others
Seeing everything in ‘black and white’

Question 11

Cognitive explanations of depression

Answer 11

Ellis’ ABC model
Beck’s negative triad

Question 12

ABC model of depression

Answer 12

Suggests that irrational beliefs lead to depression

Question 13

A in ABC model

Answer 13

Activating event

Question 14

B in ABC model

Answer 14

(Irrational) Beliefs

Question 15

C in ABC model

Answer 15

Consequences

Question 16

Types of irrational belief in ABC model

Answer 16

Musturbation
I-Can’t-Stand-It-Itis
Utopianism

Question 17

Musturbation

Answer 17

The belief that you must always succeed or achieve perfection

Question 18

‘I-can’t-stand-it-itis’

Answer 18

The belief that it is a disaster every time something goes wrong (catastrophising any situation)

Question 19

Utopianism

Answer 19

The belief that life should always be fair and life is not fair when something goes wrong

Question 20

Who proposed the ABC model of depression

Answer 20

Ellis (1962)

Question 21

Who proposed the negative triad

Answer 21

Beck (1967)

Question 22

Beck’s theory on depression

Answer 22

Idea that the way people think makes them vulnerable to depression:
Negative self schemas,
Faulty information processing,
The negative triad

Question 23

Negative self schemas

Answer 23

Interpreting all information about ourselves in a negative way

Question 24

Faulty information processing

Answer 24

Idea that depressed people dwell on negatives and catastrophise situations

Question 25

Beck’s negative triad

Answer 25

Negative views about: The self The world The future

Question 26

Strengths of the cognitive explanation of depression

Answer 26

Real world application Supporting evidence (Grazioli and Terry, March et al)

Question 27

Weaknesses of the cognitive explanation of depression

Answer 27

Only explains reactive depression (due to an activating event) Ignores other explanations (biological- serotonin on depression)

Question 28

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Answer 28

Talking therapy 5-20 sessions Sessions are 50-60 minutes

Question 29

Two elements of CBT

Answer 29

Cognitive- identify irrational and negative thoughts Behavioural- patients test their beliefs through experiment and ‘homework’

Question 30

Beck’s cognitive therapy

Answer 30

Identify Challenge Test

Question 31

Identify (Beck’s CBT)

Answer 31

Therapist helps patient identify negative thoughts (self, world, future), called thought catching

Question 32

Challenge (Beck’s CBT)

Answer 32

Patient and therapist challenge irrational thoughts by discussing evidence for and against them

Question 33

Test (Beck’s CBT)

Answer 33

Patient as scientist- the patient is encouraged to test the validity of their negative thoughts, and is set ‘homework’ outside of therapy

Question 34

Ellis’ CBT

Answer 34

Rational Emotional Behavioural Therapy (REBT)

Question 35

REBT acronym

Answer 35

Rational Emotional Behavioural Therapy

Question 36

Process of REBT

Answer 36

Extends ABC model with D (dispute) and E (effect) Challenges irrational beliefs through vigorous argument to replace them with effective beliefs/attitudes

Question 37

Types of dispute in REBT

Answer 37

Empirical- therapist seeks evidence for the person’s beliefs Logical- therapist questions logic of a person’s beliefs

Question 38

Strengths of the cognitive treatment of depression

Answer 38

Research support (March et al)

Question 39

Weaknesses of the cognitive treatment of depression

Answer 39

Less effective for people with worse irrational beliefs Other treatments have advantages (drug therapies are less time consuming)

Question 40

March et al (2007)

Answer 40

P- 327 depressed adolescents. Looked at the effectiveness of CBT, and a combination of CBT and antidepressants F- 81% of the CBT group and the antidepressant group significantly improved. 86% of the combined group improved.

Question 41

Grazioli and Terry (2000)

Answer 41

P- Assessed pregnant women before and after birth for vulnerability to depression F- Cognitively vulnerable (irrational beliefs and negative thoughts) women were more likely to experience post natal depression