Cognitive approach to explaining depression

• Beck's negative triad

  based on idea that person develops dysfunctional view of themselves because of three types of negative thinking that occur automatically regardless of reality of what's happening at time

  self - (I am worthless) - enhance existing depressive feelings, confirm existing emotions of low self esteem

  world - (everything is against me) - impression there is no hope anywhere

  future - (nothing will ever change) - reduce hopefulness and enhance depression

  creates cognitive vulnerability can lead to severe negative emotions and depression
• Ellis's ABC model


  depression result of irrational thoughts - not events themselves that make person anxious or think in a negative way but how they think about events - thinking and beliefs direct our feelings and behaviour so irrational thinking can prevent person behaving rationally - Activating event (A) like nearby group of people laughing leads to Belief (B) can be rational (laughing at joke) or irrational (laughing at me) - leads to Consequences (C) rational beliefs lead to healthy emotions (acceptance) irrational beliefs lead to unhealthy emotions (depression)
• COGNITIVE EVALUATION - scientific 


  negative thinking can't be observed and measured but explanation can be tested in controlled manner - Clark and Beck reviewed research on cognitive vulnerability to depression and found solid support for idea this can accurately predict who most vulnerable to depression - supported by empirical evidence
• COGNITIVE EVALUATION - practical applications


  cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) aims to change way people think, generally done well in outcome studies - e.g. March found CBT just as effective as drugs in treating depression (both effective for 81% of patients) - useful in developing successful treatments
• COGNITIVE EVALUATION - inhumane as not determinist 


  unlike biological approach, argues mental illness caused by genes, this suggests depression result of a persons thinking which they can control - e.g. argues depression requires patient to change way they think - place large burden of blame on person already prone to negative thinking
• COGNITIVE EVALUATION - struggles to establish cause and effect

  argues irrational thoughts and beliefs might cause depression but some argue this irrational thinking is an effect rather than cause of depression - e.g. may be depressed individual develops negative way of thinking because of depression rather than other way round - approach may be misleading