cognitive Explanations for depression

• what approach is used to explain depression?

  cognitive approach
• what are some characteristics of depression that suggest cognitive mechanisms are involved?

  - ideas of worthlessness

  - thoughts of guilt

  - diminished ability to think/concentrate

  - indecisiveness

  - recurrent thoughts of death

  - suicide plan
• what does the cognitive approach say leads to depression?

  it is 'faulty' cognitions that lead to depression. How people assess the same situation varies because of different cognitions.
• who are the two main theorists or depression?

  - Beck - automatic negative thoughts

  - Ellis - Irrational beliefs
• What did Beck suggest made people more vulnerable to depression?

  the way they think
• what three things is Beck's explanation based on?

  1) faulty information processing

  2) Negative schemas

  3) the negative triad
• what does faulty information processing involve?

  - Those who are depressed process information in a faulty way.

  - They tend to selectively attend to the negative aspects of a situation and ignore the positive aspects.

  - They will make certain attributions.
• what does negative schemas involve?

  - our schemas direct our attention and affect how we see the world. With negative schemas this acts like a 'prejudice against ourselves'

  - People with depression have developed a negative self-schema.
• what is a self-schema?


  a package of ideas that we have about ourselves.
• what is a negative triad?

  Beck suggested that depressed people have automatic negative thoughts about themselves, the world and the future and are trapped in these.
• what are two strengths of Beck's theory?

  - good supporting evidence showing association between cognitive vulnerability and depression.

  - has practical applications in cognitive behavioural therapy.
• What research shows association between cognitive vulnerability and depression? (Grazioli and Terry)

  Grazioli and Terry (2000) - studied women before and after giving birth. Those with high cognitive vulnerability were more likely to experience post-natal depression.
• What research shows association between cognitive vulnerability and depression? (Cohen et al)

  Confirmed Clark and Beck's review that cognitive vulnerabilities also preceded depression. They tracked the development of 473 adolescents, regularly measuring cognitive vulnerability, it was found that showing cognitive vulnerability predicted later depression.
• How does Beck's theory apply to CBT and what are positive of this?

  Forms the basis of CBT as all cognitive aspects of depression can be challenged, reducing someone's vulnerability to depression.

  This improves wellbeing as has a positive impact on the economy.
• What is a limitation of Beck's theory?

  does not explain all aspects of depression, as it only explains cognitive aspects and not other symptoms such as extreme anger. Therefore it is not a complete explanation.
• What did Ellis propose good mental health was the result of?

  Rational thinking - reality / evidence based.
• what are the 4 characteristics of rational thinking?

  - reasonable and balanced ( seeing both positives and negatives)

  - self-enhancing (taking credit for successes improves / maintains self-esteem)

  - Logical (straight thinking)

  - Realistic (based on evidence)
• what common beliefs underlie much depression?

  irrational beliefs
• what are the 4 characteristics of irrational thinking?

  - catastrophic (everything is terrible and bad things always happen.)

  - Self-defeating (reduces self-esteem , only see what you do wrong.)

  - Illogical (Lacking sound thinking.)

  - Unrealistic (not based on evidence.)
• what is Ellis's ABC model used to explain?


  Used to explain how irrational thoughts affect our behaviour and emotional state.
• what does ABC stand for?

  - Activating Event

  - Beliefs about A

  - Consequences of B
• What is an activating event?


  something that happens in the world around you
• what are the 3 irrational beliefs identified by Ellis?

  - Musturbation

  - I-Can't-Stand-It-Itis

  - Utopianism
• what is musturbation?


  The belief that we must always succeed or achieve perfection
• what is I-can't-stand-it-itis?


  the belief that is a major disaster when things do not go smoothly
• What is Utopianism?


  The belief that life is always meant to be fair
• what are consequences in the ABC model?

  your emotional and behavioural response to your belief, this is irrational.
• what are strengths of Ellis's Theory?

  - Practical application in CBT - led to successful therapy known as Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy, used to improve wellbeing.

  - research shows when irrational negative beliefs are challenged it reduces depressive symptoms, so irrational beliefs have some role in depression.
• What is are limitations of Ellis's theory?

  - does not explain all aspects of depression such as anger associations. Therefore it is not a complete explanation.

  - Not all depression occurs as a result of an obvious activating event/cause.
• what does the biological approach say about depression?

  the biological approach to understanding mental disorders suggest that genes and neurotransmitters may cause depression.
• what is an overall limitation to the cognitive explanation?

  Anti-depressant drugs work, they alter levels of specific neurotransmitters and reduces symptoms. This suggests neurotransmitters play an important role and are often used alongside CBT.

  This may therefore be a better explanation of the cause of depression.