AO3 cog approach to depression

• Support for the role of irrational thinking

  • Hammen and Krantz found depressed ppts made more errors in logic when asked to interpret written material compared to non-depressed pots
  • Bates et Al found when giving negative automatic thought statements to depressed people, they became more and more depressed 😔
  • This supports the view negative thinking leads to depression, although this link does not mean negative thoughts cause depression, but, negative thinking may be because of their depression
• Blames the client rather than the situation

  Suggests the client is responsible for the disorder

  • This has some benefits as it gives the client power to control the way things are and change
  • However, it also has limitations as it may lead to situational factors being overlooked, as the patient's life events or family problems may have contributed to depression developing

  It has some strength, however, environmental factors must also be considered
• Practical applications in therapy

  Cognitive explanations have been applied to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) CBT has constantly been found as the best treatment for depression, especially when paired with drug treatment The success of the therapy reinforces the success of the explanation, the therapy is based on the explanation - so explanation arguably isn't flawed This suggests the explanation is accurate - as it works in real life therapy
• Irrational beliefs may be realistic 


  Not all beliefs considered irrational are in fact irrational, they just seem that way

  • Alloy and Brahmson suggest that depressed people can see 🙈 things for what they actually are, compared to non-depressed people who see the world through "rose tinted glasses 🕶️"
  • Depressed people gave a higher estimate of the likelihood of a disaster occuring compared to "normal people", this is called the sadder but wiser effect"

  Arguably, depressed people aren't irrational but realistic
• Alternative explanations

  The biological approach to depression suggests genes, hormones and neurotransmitters play a big role in depression.

  • Research shows low levels 😕 of serotonin in depressed people
  • There is a common gene 🧬 that makes people more likely to develop depression

  Depression arguably cannot be explained by the cognitive approach alone