Depression - Explanation

• What does the 'A' in Ellis's ABC model stand for?

  Activating event
• What does the 'B' in Ellis's ABC model represent?

  Belief
• What does the 'C' in Ellis's ABC model signify?

  Consequence
• What are irrational beliefs according to Ellis's model?

  Musturbatory thinking causing disappointment
• What is musturbatory thinking?

  Thinking certain ideas must be true for happiness
• What is a likely outcome for individuals with musturbatory thinking?

  They are likely to become disappointed and depressed
• What are the evaluations of Ellis's model?

  • Practical applications in CBT
  • Partial explanation for depression
  • Doesn't explain all aspects of depression
• What is a practical application of Ellis's model?

  It led to successful therapy called CBT
• What research supports Ellis's model?

  Research by Lipsky et al, 1980
• What type of depression does Ellis's model partially explain?

  Reactive depression following activating events
• What does Ellis's model fail to explain?

  Non-reactive depression without obvious causes
• What aspect of depression does Ellis's model not address?

  Anger and psychosis associated with depression
• What did Beck suggest about individuals vulnerable to depression?

  They have faulty information processing
• What does Beck's cognitive triad consist of?

  Negative views of the world, future, and self
• What maintains Beck's cognitive triad?

  Negative schemas and cognitive biases
• What is cognitive distortion?

  Focusing on negative aspects while ignoring positives
• What are the evaluations of Beck's theory?

  • Good supporting evidence for cognitive vulnerability
  • Doesn't explain all aspects of depression
• What evidence supports Beck's theory?

  Grazioli and Terry (2000) study
• What did Grazioli and Terry (2000) find?

  High cognitive vulnerability linked to postnatal depression
• What does Beck's theory fail to explain about depression?

  Extreme anger associated with some patients
• What are alternative explanations for depression?

  • Biological approach: genes and neurotransmitters
  • Role of low serotonin levels
  • Diathesis-stress model suggests genetic vulnerability
• What neurotransmitter is linked to depression?

  Serotonin
• What did Zhang et al (2005) find about genes and depression?

  Gene related to depression is more common
• What does excessive drug therapy suggest about depression?

  Biology plays an important role
• What does the diathesis-stress approach suggest?

  Genetic vulnerability leads to negative thinking
• What does the existence of alternative approaches suggest about depression?

  It can't be explained by cognitive approach alone