explaining depression

• Beck’s theory to explain depression suggests a person’s cognitions create vulnerability to depression
• Beck also identified the role of schemas in depression because if a person has a negative self-schema, they will interpret any and all information about themselves and the world in a negative way
• Beck suggested a person develops a dysfunctional view of themselves because of 3 types of negative thinking called the negative triad
• the negative triad is a negative view of the world, the self and the future
• Ellis’ theory suggested a different cognitive explanation for depression focussing on irrational beliefs
• Ellis used the ABC model to explain how irrational thoughts affect behaviour and mental state
• A is the activating event which Ellis believed triggered irrational beliefs for example failing a test
• B is the belief which can be either rational or irrational e.g “I failed because I didn’t study” is rational whereas “I failed because I’m stupid and can’t do anything” would be irrational
• C is the consequence because when an activating event triggers an irrational thought, there are emotional and behavioural consequences. Irrational beliefs can lead to unhealthy responses and depression
• there is research support for both theories from Nyarko and Amissah, who asked an opportunity sample of 200 undergraduates from the university of Ghana to complete the Beck’s Depression Inventory and the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire. The findings showed a significant positive correlation between cognitive distortions and depression
• the Beck’s Depression Inventory measures symptoms of depression and their intensity
• the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire measures the frequency of automatic negative thoughts associated with depression
• other psychologists may criticise Nyarko and Amissah theories because of the methodology used
• the study used students from the university of Ghana so it lacks generalisability because the students are the same age from the same area and likely have the same intelligence
• A strength of Beck’s cognitive explanation is that it forms the basis of CBT
• Beck's theory explains the basic symptoms of depression but depression is complex. Beck cannot easily explain extreme emotions such as anger, hallucinations or bizarre beliefs
• Very occasionally depressed patients suffer cotard syndrome, the delusion that they are zombies (Jarret 2013). Beck’s theory cannot easily explain these cases
• reactive depression - depression that is triggered by a specific event or situation
• reactive depression is seen as different from the kind of depression that arises without an obvious cause. This means that Ellis’ explanation only applies to some kinds of depression and is therefore only a partial explanation for depression