Evaluation Cognitive Approach to Explaining Depression

• strengths

  • blames the client rather than situational factors
  • practical applications in therapy
• blames the client rather than situational factors 


  the cognitive approach suggest that it is the client who is responsible for their disorder-> placing emphasis on the client is a good thing because it gives the client the power to change the way things are
• blames the client rather than situational factors COUNTER ARGUMENT 


  this may lead the client or therapist to overlook situational factors-> e.g. not considering how life events or family problems may have contributed to the mental disorder
• practical applications in therapy 


  the cognitive explanations have both been applied to cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT is consistently found to be the best treatment for depression. all cognitive aspects of depression can be identified and challenged in CBT. this means a therapist can challenge them and encourage the patient to test whether they are true
• limitations

  • alternative explanations
  • doesn't explain all types of depression
• alternative explanations 


  the biological approach to understanding mental disorders suggests that genes and neurotransmitters may cause depression

  eg research supports lower serotonin in depressed people, for them a gene related to this is 10 times more common. success of drug therapies for treating depression suggests that neurotransmitters play an important role. a diathesis-stress approach might be more appropriate- people with a genetic vulnerability for depression are more prone to the effects of living in a negative environment, this leads to negative irrational thinking
• doesn't explain all types of depression 


  the cognitive models do not successfully explain all types of depression

  e.g. not all people develop depression as a result of an 'activating event'- reactive depression. some people have depression without an obvious cause, and this is considered a different type of depression to 'reactive depression'

  Ellis' ABC model would struggle to explain these different types of depression and is therefore only a partial explanation for depression