Cognitive explanations for depression

Who proposed the two main theories of depression?

Beck & Ellis

According to Beck’s theory, depressed patients have faulty information processing. What does this mean?

Fundamental errors in logic & they tend to selectively attend to the negative aspects of a situation & ignore the positive

What type of thinking occurs with faulty information processing?

Absolutist (black & white) thinking

What term is used for the way we interpret all information about us in a negative way?

Negative self-schemas

What three things make up the negative triad?

Negative view of the self, the world & the future

According to the theory of the negative triad, what happens to the pessimistic view?

It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy & leads to cognitive bias

What is meant by a cognitive bias?

The focus upon negative aspects of the lives & ignorance of positive ones

What does a cognitive bias lead to?

Being trapped in a vicious cycle of depression

What was Ellis’s theory of depression based on?

Irrational beliefs

What is Ellis’ theory also known as & what does this stand for?

ABC model:

• activating event (something which will trigger irrational beliefs, such as a break-up)

• beliefs (e.g. musturbation, I-can’t-stand-it-itis & utopianism)

• consequences (emotional & behavioural)

What is musturbation?

The belief that we must always succeed or achieve perfection

What is I-can’t-stand-it-itis?

The belief that it’s a major disaster when something doesn’t go smoothly

What is utopanianism?

The belief that life is always meant be to fair & just

Describe and evaluate the cognitive approach to explaining depression (16 marks)

Write your AO1 paragraph

• Firstly, one cognitive explanation of depression is Beck’s cognitive theory, which includes faulty information processing, negative-self-schemas & the negative triad.

• Faulty information processing proposes that depressed people make fundamental errors in logic & tend to blow small problems out of proportion & use absolutist (black & white) thinking. Negative self-schemas propose that they interpret all information about themselves in a negative way.

• The negative triad proposes that depressed people become trapped in a cycle of negative thoughts. This includes a negative view of the self, the world & the future - this pessimistic view becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy & leads to cognitive bias. Depressed people tend to focus on the negative aspects of their lives & ignore the positive ones, meaning they become trapped in a vicious circle of depression.

• Secondly, another cognitive explanation of depression is Ellis’ ABC model, which proposes that sufferers have based their lives upon common irrational beliefs.

• A stands for activating event (something which will trigger irrational beliefs, such as a break-up). B stands for beliefs (e.g. musturbation - we must always succeed or achieve perfection, I-can’t-stand-it-itis - the belief that it’s a major disaster when something goes wrong & utopianism - the belief that life is always meant to be fair & just). C stands for the emotional & behavioural consequences.

Describe and evaluate the cognitive approach to explaining depression (16 marks)

Write your strength AO3 PEEL (Grazioli & Terry)

• Point: One strength of the cognitive explanation for depression is there is research evidence in support of Beck’s cognitive theory.

• Evidence: For example, Grazioli & Terry assessed 65 pregnant women for cognitive vulnerability before & after childbirth & found those with higher cognitive vulnerability were more likely to develop post-natal depression.

• Explain: This supports Beck’s theory that faulty information processing, negative self-schemas & the negative triad increase the risk of depression.

• Link: Overall, this increases the validity of Beck’s cognitive theory by highlighting that cognitive vulnerabilities contribute to the development of depression.

Describe and evaluate the cognitive approach to explaining depression (16 marks)

Write your strength AO3 PEEL (March et al.)

• Point: One strength of the cognitive explanation of depression is that it has contributed to highly effective therapies.

• Example: For example, March et al. found after 36 weeks of treatment, 81% of patients receiving CBT showed improvement, which was equally as effective as drug therapy with anti-depressants (e.g. SSRIs).

• Explain: This suggests that targeting & correcting irrational thoughts (e.g. faulty information processing, negative self-schemas & the negative triad) can effectively reduce depressive symptoms.

• Link: Therefore, the success of CBT increases the validity of the cognitive explanation of depression by highlighting both its theoretical & practical value.

Describe and evaluate the cognitive approach to explaining depression (16 marks)

Write your limitation AO3 PEEL (assumption of irrational thoughts)

• Point: One limitation of the cognitive explanation of depression is that Beck & Ellis’ theories rely on the assumption of depressed people’s thoughts are irrational.

• Evidence: For example, depression could be a reasonable & valid response to the challenges a person faces, such as poverty or racism.

• Explain: People without depression may have a cognitive bias, meaning they live their lives with rose-tinted glasses, selectively perceiving the world in a positive light.

• Link: Overall, this suggests that some people may have an overly positive self-evaluations & unrealistic optimism, whereas depressed people simply see the world without this false narrative.