Cognitive Approach to explaining Depression

• Cognitive Approach to explaining Depression

  • Suggests that emotional problems are the result of irrational thoughts.
• Two cognitive theories that explain depression :

  1. Ellis ABC Model
  2. Becks Cognitive Triad
• Ellis ABC Model

  A - activating event ( something happens )

  B - Belief ( there is a belief about a situation )

  C - consequences ( there is an emotional reaction caused by the belief )
• Becks Cognitive Triad

  • According to Beck, depression is the result of negative self schemas; which maintain the cognitive triad
  • The Cognitive Triad :

  1. Negative View about yourself
  2. Negative View about the future
  3. Negative View about the world

  Negative Self Schemas - are negative packets of information that hold negative experiences such as Criticism.
• Cognitive Biases

  • Beck found that depressed individuals focus on negative aspects of the situations and ignore the positives
  • A cognitive Bias is a distortion of information. Examples of distortion are :

  1. Catastrophizing - exaggeration of minor mishaps
  2. Overgeneralisation - apply a previous failure to all aspects of life ( e.g. if you fail a mock test you will never succeed in anything )