Explanation

• BECK'S THEORY OF DEPRESSION

  Beck claimed that there are 3 ways in which a person's cognition can increase vulnerability:

  1. Faulty information processing +
  2. Negative self schemas
  3. = Negative triad
• Faulty information processing 


  Negative automatic thoughts, (quick, irrational, automatic and likely to be negative)
• What happens if you have a negative self schema?

  Negative views about the world of oneself. Developed in childhood + teenage years, unrealistic demands from authority figures. Develops into pessimism in adulthood
• The Negative Triad 


  Triggered by negative/stressful life events:

  Negative views about the world, the future and about oneself.
• ✅ Beck's negative triad

  Supporting evidence, research on 'cognitive vulnerability'. Confirmed in prospective study by Cohen
• ✅ Beck's negative triad

  Applied in screening and treatments for depression can be applied in CBT
• ❌ Beck's negative triad

  Partial explanation for depression, not always well explained with cognitive explanations
• Ellis' ABC model 


  Believed rational thinking results in good mental health, allows people to be happy and pain free. Irrational thinking or blaming external events for thier unhappiness results in poor mental health (therefore depression)
• Activating event

  An event that happens in your environment which triggers a belief
• Beliefs

  You hold beliefs about situations. These are rational or irrational thoughts
• Consequences

  An emotional and behavioural response to your belief
• ✅ ELLIS' ABC MODEL

  real world application in psychological treatment of depression (REBT)
• ✅ ELLIS' ABC MODEL

  REBT can both change negative beliefs and relieve the symptoms of depression
• ✅ ELLIS' ABC MODEL

  Provided the REBT is used appropriately and sensitively, depressed person can achieve resilience and feel better
• ❌ ELLIS' ABC MODEL

  only explains reactive not endogenous depression
• ❌ ELLIS' ABC MODEL

  Many cases of depression arent traceable to life events. Not obvious what causes depression at the time
• ❌ ELLIS' ABC MODEL

  Locates responsibility for depression with the depressed person