Evaluation

• Research support

  One strength of Beck's cognitive model of depression is the existence of supporting research:

  • 'Cognitive vulnerability' - ways of thinking that may predispose a person to becoming depressed
  • Clark and Beck concluded that these cognitive vulnerabilities preceded depression
  • Cohen et al tracked development of 473 adolescents, regularly measuring cognitive vulnerability and found that it predicted later depression
  • Therefore, there is an association between cognitive vulnerability and depression
• Real-world application


  One strength of Beck's cognitive model of depression is its applications in screening and treatment for depression:

  • Cohen et al concluded that assessing cognitive vulnerability allows psychologists to screen young people, identifying those most at risk of depression and monitoring them
  • This can also be applied in CBT
  • Therefore, an understanding of cognitive vulnerability is useful in more that one aspect of clinical practice