The Cognitive Approach to Explaining Depression

• What do cognitive psychologists believe about human behaviour?

  All behaviour is the result of internal mental processes (how we think). So depression develops as the result of fault information processing. When depressed we attend to the negative aspects of a situation and ignore positives.
• What is an irrational thought?

  Not as illogical or unrealistic thoughts, but as any thoughts that interfere with us being happy or free of pain.
• What is Ellis' ABC Model as an explanation of depression?

  He suggested a difficult cognitive explanation of depression. He proposed that good mental health is the result of rational thinking, defined as thinking in ways that allow people to be happy or free of pain. Conditions like anxiety and depression (poor mental health) result from irrational thoughts.

  Ellis used the ABC model to explain how irrational thoughts affect our behaviour and emotional state!
• What does ABC stand for in Ellis' model?

  A - Activating event

  B - Beliefs (rational OR irrational)

  C - Consequences
• What is an Activating event?

  Situations in which irrational thoughts are triggered by external events. We get depressed when we experience negative events and these trigger irrational beliefs. Events like failing an important test or ending a relationship might trigger irrational beliefs.
• What is Beliefs?

  He identified a range of irrational beliefs. He called the belief that we must always succeed or achieve perfection 'musturbation.' 'I-can't-stand-it-itis' is the belief that it is a major disaster whenever something does not go smoothly. Utopianism is the belief that life is always meant to be fair.
• What are Consequences?

  When an activiating event triggers irrational beliefs there are emotional and behavioural consequences. For example, if you believe you must always succeed and then fail at something this can trigger depression.
• Explain the role of musturbatory thinking? (In order to be happy...)

  He called the belief that we must always succeed or achieve perfection 'musturbation.' 'I-can't-stand-it-itis' is the belief that it is a major disaster whenever something does not go smoothly. Utopianism is the belief that life is always meant to be fair.
• What is Beck's Negative Triad as an explanation of depression?

  A person develops a dysfunctional view of themselves because of three types of negative thinking that occur automatically, regardless of the reality of what is happening at the time. These 3 elements are called the negative triad. When we are depressed, negative thoughts about the world the future and oneself often come to us.
• What are the 3 elements of the Negative Triad?

  • Negative view of the world
  • Negative view of the future
  • Negative view of the self
• What is the negative view of the world?

  An example would be 'the world is a cold hard place.' This creates the impression that there is no hope anywhere
• What is the negative view of the future?

  For example 'there isn't much chance that the economy will really get better.' Such thoughts reduce any hopefulness and enhances depression.
• What is the negative view of the self?

  For example, I might think 'I am a failure.' Such thoughts enhance any existing depressive feelings because they confirm the existing emotions of low self-esteem.
• What is the impact of a negative schema being developed in childhood?

  A schema is a 'package' of ideas and information developed through experience. They act as a mental framework for the interpretation of sensory information. A self-schema is the package of information we have about ourselves. We use schemas to interpret the world, so if we have a negative self-schema we interpret all information about ourselves in a negative way.