The Cognitive Approach to Explaining Depression

Question 1

What is a ‘schema’?

Answer 1

• A mental framework of ideas and information developed through experience.

Question 2

What is the ‘Cognitive Approach’?

Answer 2

• This approach is focused on how people’s cognitive processes, thoughts, perceptions and attention, impact their behaviour.

Question 3

What is ‘Negative self-schema’?

Answer 3

• Negative information a personal holds about themselves based in negative past experiences that can lead to cognitive biases.

Question 4

What is ‘Cognition biases’?

Answer 4

• A systematic error in thinking, impacting how individuals process information, perceive others, and make descions.

Question 5

What can ‘Cognitive Biases’ lead to?

Answer 5

• Irrational thoughts or judgements and is often based on perceptions, memories, or individual and societal beliefs.

Question 6

What are the two explanations to ‘Depression’?

Answer 6

• Beck’s Negative Triad
• Ellis’ ABC model

Question 7

What is the ‘Negative triad’?

Answer 7

• Beck proposed that there were three types of negative thinking involved in depression - negative views of the world, of them self’s and of the future.

Question 8

What is ‘the ABC model’?

Answer 8

• Ellis proposed that depression occurs when an activating event triggers an irrational belief which then produces a consequence - an emotional response like depression.
• A consequence cannot happen without a belief.

Question 9

What is ‘Cognitive Vulnerability’?

Answer 9

• A predisposition or tendency to develop negative patterns of thinking that increase the likelihood of experiencing depression.