ellis' abc model

• ellis' ABC model

  albert ellis proposed that the key to mental disorders, such as depression, lay in irrational beliefs

  • A =activating event
  • B = belief
  • C = consequence
• rational thinking

  • reasonable
  • self-enhancing
  • logical
  • accurate
  • realistic
• irrational thinking

  • catastrophic
  • self-defeating
  • illogical
  • inaccurate
  • unrealistic
• strength

  supporting evidence for biased thinking patterns in depressed people

  • al-mosaiwi and johnstone (2018) conducted a content analysis of internet forums
  • found that depression and suicidal ideation forums contained more absolutist words than control forums eg, asthma
  • this suggests that absolutist thinking may be a feature of depression
• another strength

  has useful applications for therapy

  • beck's theory helps create the foundations for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
  • ellis' abc model can be adapted to ABCDE, where D involves various methods of disputing the irrational belief. with the aim of creating a positive effect (E)
  • effectiveness of CBT as therapy (eg, Kuyken et al, 2007) supports the explanation
• limitation

  cant fully explain all aspects of depression

  • only explain some basic symptoms of depression. cognitive distortions cant explain complex symptoms eg, deep anger, hallucinations, delusions. because there are different types of depression
• another limitation

  moreover, the abc model only accounts for reactive depression - something in the environment triggers depression
• another limitation

  direction of causality is unclear

  • cant be sure if negative emotions are a cause or consequence of depression
  • lewinsohn et al (1981) = negative thinking didnt precede depression. concluded depression may causes negative thinking rather than vice versa
  • may be a two-way relationship between the two in that negative thinking predisposes depression and it increases negative thinking