overview

• What type of disorder is depression?

  A mood disorder
• What are the two types of depression?

  Major depressive disorder - 2+ weeks of a major depressive episode

  
  

  Persistent depressive disorder - long term and/or re-occurring depressive episodes
• Cognitive characteristics of depression

  Irrational and negative self beliefs
• Emotional characteristics of depression

  Negative emotions e.g. sadness, apathy, anger
• Behavioural characteristics of depression

  Increased or decreased levels of activity, eating, sleeping
• What are the two cognitive explanations of depression?

  Ellis' ABC Model and Beck's Negative Triad
• Outline Ellis' ABC Model


  A - activating event that starts off irrational belief

  (e.g. losing a job)

  B - the irrational belief that is caused by this

  (e.g. they never liked me; they wanted me gone)

  C - the consequence of this belief

  (e.g. negative emotions such as anger)
• What is musturbatory thinking?


  The idea that certain ideas must be true for someone to have happiness e.g. 'I must have approval from those I like', 'I must do well or I am useless
• How is the Negative Triad formed?

  Beck proposed that a negative scheme can develop in childhood (due to abuse, neglect, criticism etc) that can lead to cognitive biases
• What are the three components of the Negative Triad?

  A negative view of the:

  Self

  World

  Future
• Evaluation of the cognitive explanations of depression


  + Positive applications

  Led to development of treatments for depression e.g. CBT which combats irrational thinking and beliefs

  Positive impact on society

  
  

  - Blames the individual

  Puts cause of depression on individual's own faulty mental processing; could cause individual to feel guilty rather than environmental factors

  Could have an adverse effect on individuals

  
  

  - Ignores other factors

  Does not take into account environmental factors that could contribute to a person's depression e.g. abuse, neglect, bereavement

  Does not give full explanation of depression
• What are the treatments of depression?

  Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
• Outline CBT


  Developed from the ABC Model

  D - Disputing

  E - Effects of disputing

  F - Feelings produced by disputing
• What are the three types of disputing?

  Empirical, logical, pragmatic
• What is empirical disputing?


  Does the irrational belief have any proof? (Most are inconsistent with reality)
• What is logical disputing?


  Does the irrational belief make sense? (Most are illogical)
• What is pragmatic disputing?


  Does the irrational belief have any use? (Emphasises uselessness of the belief)
• Outline the use of homework in CBT

  Homework is given to the patient by the therapist; specific to everyone; designed to test out the new rational beliefs
• Outline the use of unconditional positive regard in CBT

  Patients are encouraged to view themselves positively and engage in pleasurable activities (behavioural activation)
• Evaluate the treatments to depression


  + Supporting research

  Study by Ellis found 90% success rate at disputing irrational beliefs; Babyok et al found that behavioural activation was very effective in reducing negative self belief

  Increases validity of the treatment

  
  

  - Doesn't consider alternative treatments

  E.g. drugs - CBT is more time consuming and more expensive than drugs

  Not accessible to some people

  
  

  - Doesn't take into account individual differences

  Only helps those with irrational thoughts - not as effective for people in stressful or negative situations where depression is influenced externally

  CBT cannot help everybody