CBT

Supporting

AO1

CBT is a person-centred form of talking psychotherapy used to work with the patient to try and overcome the symptoms of depression. It aims to challenge the client’s maladaptive thoughts that have led to the depression 

AO3

Gives patient more power and control over their treatment, also with no side effects. The CBT deals with the root cause of their depression rather than just the symptoms of it.  
Kuyken (2008) suggested that CBT was more effective in preventing relapse and improving quality of life than using anti-depressants 

Conflicting

AO1

It often lasts 6-12 sessions on the NHS, with clients receiving one or two sessions a week. 

AO3

Keller (2000) found recovery rates were 55% for drugs alone, 52% using CBT but 85% when both used in combination. This suggests that CBT may not be the most effective form of treatment, particularly not in isolation

Opposing

AO1

Clients may be taught how to notice when they are thinking maladaptive thoughts that lead to their depression, and will be given strategies to use in these situations – with the aim of changing their behaviours than maintain depression 

AO3

Drug therapies are also effective in managing the symptoms of depression, helping to regulate mood and symptoms more biologically. This is less time consuming than going to therapy sessions every week, this could be emotionally exhausting and accessibly difficult 

Usefulness

AO1

Clients may be given homework to do outside the sessions, such as carrying out a task or trying new behaviours, which will hopefully challenge their negative thoughts 

AO3

It is not as useful or accessible for everyone – for example there are very long waiting lists for NHS, and going privately may be financially unaffordable for many. Can be very useful if patient is open willing to talk or discuss their emotions – however, if the patient struggles to do this, it will not work as well. (link to cultural stigma)
CBT can be useful in the long term as the aim is to equip patients with the skills they need to manage any future relapses 
(Williams contemporary study) 

Testability

AO1

Negative thoughts can be investigated through the downwards arrow technique to explore thoughts. This is based off of Beck’s cognitive theory of depression, and Ellis’ ABC model 

AO3

Testability – difficult to distinguish if improvement in participant is as a result of the CBT techniques, or merely just the experience of being able to share their emotions and receive attention from this. (The Hawthorne effect – increased observation and attention on someone can increase work output) 
Self-reporting data may be unreliable 

Conclusion ideas

• CBT is able to have a wider reaching impact through the emergence of iCBT online, perhaps cheaper or more accessible although conversely is this as effective?

• Link to the combination with drugs as a more effective treatment – patients struggling with severe depression might initially not have the emotional strength or capacity to engage with CBT, so drugs might be useful to get them to a stable state to allow this process.  

• Some individuals may be anti-drug, so this CBT is a useful alternative