Cognitive models of depression

What is Becks Cognitive model of depression?

Theorises that depression is caused and maintained by negative patterns of thinking, influencing how individuals interpret themselves, experiences & future.

What are the 3 components of Becks Cognitive model of depression

1) Negative schema

2) Cognitive triad

3) Cognitive distortions

Explain the 3 components of Becks cognitive model of depression

1) Negative schema → Negative mental framework based on past events/enviornmental stimuli

• e.g You think failing an example = you are dumb

2) Cognitive triad → Automatic negative thoughts about yourself, world, or future

3) Cognitive distortions → irrational/biased ways of interpreting situations

Explain the 3 types of negative schemas

1) Ineptness schema → Belief that you are incompetent & incapable of handling challenges

• Interpret mistakes as inadequacy

2) Self-blame schema → Persistent belief that one is responsible for negative events

• Individuals feel guilt in situations where it is not their fault

3) Negative self-evaluation schema → Deep belief that you are not worth & flawed

• Neutral situations = I’m not worth

Explain the 3 types of cognitive triad

1) Negative views of the world → “everyone is against me”'

2) Negative views of self → “I’m a failure”

3) Negative views of the future - “My life will never get better”

Explain the 7 types of errors in logic

1) Selective abstraction → Drawing conclusions about yourself based on single incident

• Everyone thinks you are an amazing player, but one person says your bad → failure

2) Magnification → Blowing an event out of proportion

• I got a 5 in psychology = I will never get in Harvard

3) Minimisation → Not acknowledging when you do well

• 7 in math → but everyone got a 7 so I did average

4) Overgeneralisation → Making a broad conclusion from one event

• Teacher disappointed in me = I am not charismatic

5) Personalisation → Attributing negative feelings of others to yourself

• She doesn’t smile at me = she is mad at me

6) Arbitrary inference → Making conclusion without any relevant evidence

• Bad service at very good restaurant = it’s my fault, the date my date is ruined

7) Dichotomous thinking → Placing experiences in 2 opposite categories

• Either he is smart or stupid, no in-between

Experiemnt

+/- experiement

+/- of cognitive theories of depression

+ CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), based on Beck’s model → very successful

+ Help explain gender differences in M.D.D → woman ruminate more

— Bidirectional ambiguity → does depression make negative thought or does negative though make depression

— Aetiology-Treatment fallacy → Just because a therapy leads to improvement, this does not determine the cause disorder

— Temporal validity → norms can change over time