Explaining Depression

• What are the two main theories of depression?

  Beck's negative thinking and Ellis's irrational thinking
• According to Beck, what causes depression?

  Negative thinking and faulty information processing
• What does Beck mean by 'faulty information processing'?

  Incorrectly processing negative information without challenge
• How would a person with a negative schema interpret a friend's lack of acknowledgment?

  They would think the friend dislikes them
• What is the negative triad according to Beck?

  Negative views on the world, future, and self
• What does Ellis's ABC model stand for?

  Activating event, Belief, Consequence
• How does an activating event lead to depression in Ellis's model?

  It triggers a negative belief about oneself
• What are the real-world applications of Ellis and Beck's theories of depression?

  • Development of talking therapies
  • Psychological treatments based on their theories
  • Demonstrates ecological validity in real-world cases
• What did Clark's research find regarding cognitive issues and depression?

  Cognitive issues were more common in depressed individuals
• How does Clark's research support Beck's ideas?

  It shows negative cognition can precede depression
• What limitation do Beck and Ellis's theories have regarding types of depression?

  They only explain reactive depression, not endogenous
• Why could Beck and Ellis's theories be considered reductionist?

  They do not evaluate all types of depression