Cognitive approach: depression

• Becks cognitive triad


  negative and irrational view of ourselves, our future and the world around us

  negative self schemas - schemas develop during childhood, may develop from negative experiences, examples of negative self schemas:

  • ineptness schema - suffered expect to fail
  • self blame schema
  • self evaluation schema - reminds them of worthlessness

  cognitive biasses:

  • overgeneralisations - make sweeping conclusions based on a single incident
  • catastrophising - exaggerate a minor setback and believe its a complete disaster
• Ellis's ABC Model


  A - activating event - event occurs

  B - beliefs - interpretation of the event either rational or irrational

  C - consequences - rational beliefs lead to healthy emotional outcome, irrational beliefs lead to unhealthy emotional outcome inc. depression
• cognitive approach to explaining depression AO3

  + application to therapy - CBT and REBT (rational emotive behaviour therapy)

  -doesn't explain the origin of irrational thoughts - most research is correlational so can't determine if negative thoughts cause depression or vice versa

  -alternative explanations - biological condition caused by genes and neurotransmitters. lower levels of serotonin in depressed patients

  + research support - Booury et al - patients with depression more likely to interpret info negatively
• cognitive treatment for depression - cognitive behavioural therapy


  involves both cognitive and behavioural elements. aims ti identify irrational and negative thoughts which lead to depression.

  aims to replace negative thoughts with positive ones

  various components to CBT

  1. initial assessment
  2. goal setting
  3. identifying negative thoughts and challenging these via:
  4. becks cognitive therapy
  5. Ellis's REBT
  6. 4. homework
• Becks cognitive behavioural therapy

  help patient identify negative thoughts in relation to themselves their world and their future using the negative triad

  patient and therapist then work together to challenge irrational thoughts by discussing evidence for and against them

  patient encouraged to test validity of negative thoughts and may be set homework to test their negative thoughts
• Ellis's rational emotive behavioural therapy


  developed ABC model to include D (dispute) and E (effective)

  main idea to challenge irrational thoughts but through dispute

  therapist will dispute the patients irrational beliefs to replace their beliefs with more effective beliefs and attitudes

  two types of dispute that can be used:

  • logical - therapist questions logic
  • empirical - therapist seeks evidence
• Cognitive approach to treating depression AO3

  + research evidence - March - CBT effective as antidepressants. 327 adolescence. After 36 weeks81% of just antidepressant and 81% of CBT had significantly improved, 86% of combination significantly improved

  -requires motivation - those with severe depression may not take part, other methods such as antidepressants don't take as much effort

  -overemphasis on the role of cognitions - ignores other factors that may contribute to a persons depression