Ellis ABC model explanation:

• STRENGTH:

  • Real-world application in the psychological treatment of depression
  • Ellis's approach to cognitive therapy is called rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT)
  • The idea of REBT is that by vigorously arguing with a depressed person the therapist can alter the irrational beliefs that are making them unhappy.
  • There is some evidence to support the idea that REBT can both change negative beliefs and relieve the symptoms of depression (David et al. 2018).

  This means that REBT has real-world value.
• LIMITATION:

  • Only explains reactive depression and not endogenous depression
  • There is no doubt that depression is often triggered by life events
  • Called reactive depression
  • How we respond to negative life events seems to be partly the result of our beliefs
  • BUT many cases of depression are not traceable to life events and it is not obvious what leads the person to become depressed at a particular time
  • Called endogenous depression
  • Ellis's ABC model is less useful for explaining endogenous depression

  Ellis's model can only explain some cases of depression and is only a partial explanation