(A01) Cognitive Explanations To Depression

• Beck's cognitive theory of depressions


  Beck suggested the cognitive approach to explain why some people more vulnerable to depression than others. A person's cognitions create this vulnerability and there are three parts to this cognitive vulnerability
• Faulty information processing

  When depressed we attend to the negative aspects of a situation and ignore the positives. We also tend to blow small problems out of proportion and think in 'black and white' terms
• Negative self-schemas

  Depression can be caused by a negative schema meaning we interpret information about ourselves in a negative way and negative image of the world
• The negative triad


  A person develops a dysfunctional view of themselves due to three types of negative thinking that occur automatically, regardless of the reality of what is happening at the time
• The three types of negative thinking

  Negative view of the world, negative view of the future and negative view of the self
• Ellis's ABC model


  Suggested different cognitive explanations of depression. Proposed good mental health is a result of rational thinking, thinking that allows people to be free and happy
• Irrational thinking


  Ellis proposed anxiety and depression are the result of irrational thinking causing us to feel unhappy. Proposed ABC model to explain irrational thoughts on our behaviour and mental state
• (A) Activating events


  Ellis suggests we get depressed when we experience negative events and these trigger irrational beliefs
• (B) Beliefs

  Range of irrational beliefs like Utopianism (Belief that all life is supposed to be fair) and Musturbation (Belief we must always succeed/achieve perfection)
• (C) Consequences

  When an activating event triggers irrational beliefs, there are emotional and behavioural consequences