Depression

• the cognitive approach to depression suggests that depression occurs due to irrational thoughts from maladaptive internal processes
• Schemas: mental frameworks or expectations that we create based on previous experiences
• Schemas are useful as they help us process lots of information quickly and make automatic assumptions and responses
• negative schemas can result in negative cognitive biases
• What is depression characterized by?

  Feelings of low mood, loss of motivation, and inability to feel pleasure
• What is Beck's negative triad in relation to depression?

  • Negative beliefs about the self
  • Negative beliefs about the world
  • Negative beliefs about the future
• What does Beck argue maintains the negative triad of beliefs in depression?

  Negative schemas and cognitive biases
• How do childhood experiences influence negative schemas according to Beck?

  Experiences like criticism or failure to meet expectations can lead to negative schemas
• What is Ellis' ABC model of depression?

  • A: Activating event
  • B: Beliefs about the event
  • C: Consequences (emotional reactions)
• According to Ellis, what causes depression?

  Irrational interpretation of negative events
• What is the goal of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in treating depression?

  • Identify negative thought patterns
  • Replace them with alternate, more accurate thoughts
  • Improve mood and behavior
• What is the first step in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)?

  Identifying negative thought patterns
• What do therapists encourage patients to do with their negative thought patterns in CBT?

  Question these patterns and recognize them as unhelpful
• What effect does replacing negative thoughts with more helpful thoughts have in CBT?

  It affects the patient’s mood and behavior
• What additional components may be included in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)?

  • Scheduled activities
  • Keeping a diary of thoughts
• What is the name of the form of CBT developed by Ellis based on his ABC model?

  Rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT)