Cognitive approach treating depression

• Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)


  The most commonly used psychological treatment for depression and a range of other mental health issues
• Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)

  • An example of the cognitive approach to treatment, though it also includes behavioural elements
• Cognitive element of CBT

  1. Assessment to clarify the client's problems

  2. Jointly identify goals for the therapy

  3. Put together a plan to achieve them

  4. Identify negative or irrational thoughts that will benefit from challenge
• Behaviour element of CBT

  1. Work to change negative and irrational thoughts

  2. Put more effective behaviours into place
• Beck's cognitive therapy

  The application of Beck's cognitive theory of depression
• Beck's cognitive therapy


  • Identify automatic thoughts about the world, the self and the future (the negative triad)
  • Challenge these thoughts
• Beck's cognitive therapy

  1. Help clients test the reality of their negative beliefs

  2. Client acts as a scientist, investigating the validity of their negative beliefs
• Ellis's rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT)


  Extends the ABC model to an ABCDE model - D stands for dispute and E for effect
• Ellis's REBT

  1. Identify irrational thoughts

  2. Vigorously dispute (challenge) the irrational thoughts

  3. Use empirical and logical arguments to dispute the negative beliefs
• Behavioural activation

  The goal is to work with depressed individuals to gradually decrease their avoidance and isolation, and increase engagement in activities that have been shown to improve mood
• As individuals become depressed, they tend to increasingly avoid difficult situations and become isolated, which maintains or worsens symptoms
• Clinical trials have been conducted on the effectiveness of CBT