The cognitive approach to explaining and treating depression: Beck's negative triad and Ellis's ABC model; cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), including challenging irrational thoughts.

What is the Basic Assumption of the Cognitive Approach to Depression?

• Depression caused by faulty and irrational thinking.
• Negative thoughts distort perception of reality.

What are Negative Schemas?

• Negative mental frameworks developed through experience.
• Often formed through criticism or rejection in childhood.

What are Cognitive Biases?

• Faulty information processing.
• Includes overgeneralisation and catastrophising.

What is Beck’s Negative Triad?

• Depressed people have negative views of themselves, the world and the future.
• These negative thoughts reinforce each other and maintain depression.

Negative View of the Self

• Person sees themselves as flawed or worthless.
• Lowers self-esteem.

Negative View of the World

• Person interprets experiences negatively.
• World viewed as unfair or overwhelming.

Negative View of the Future

• Person expects negative outcomes.
• Believes things will never improve.

What is Ellis’s ABC Model?

• Explains depression through irrational beliefs about events.

What is an Activating Event (A)?

• Event that triggers thinking process.
• Example: failing an exam.

What are Beliefs (B)?

• Interpretation of activating event.
• Can be rational or irrational.

What are Consequences (C)?

• Emotional and behavioural outcomes of beliefs.
• Example: depression or anxiety.

What are Ellis’s Irrational Beliefs?

• Musterbation: unrealistic “must” statements.
• Catastrophising: viewing situations as worse than they are.
• Low frustration tolerance: inability to tolerate stress or discomfort.

What is Musterbation?

• Irrational “must” statements.
• Example: “I must always succeed.”.

What is Catastrophising?

• Viewing situations as worse than they really are.

What is Low Frustration Tolerance?

• Inability to tolerate stress or discomfort.

What is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)?

• Therapy aiming to change faulty thinking and behaviour.

What Happens in Beck’s CBT?

• Identify automatic negative thoughts.
• Challenge irrational thinking.
• Use behavioural activation.

What is Behavioural Activation?

• Encourages engagement in enjoyable activities.
• Increases positive reinforcement.

What is REBT?

• Ellis’s form of CBT focusing on disputing irrational beliefs.

What is Logical Disputation?

• Challenges whether belief logically makes sense.

What is Empirical Disputation?

• Challenges whether evidence supports belief.

What is Pragmatic Disputation?

• Challenges whether belief is useful or helpful.

Why is Homework Used in CBT?

• Patients test irrational beliefs in real-life situations.

Grazioli and Terry — Aim

• Investigated whether negative thinking predicts depression.

Grazioli and Terry — Procedure

• Assessed pregnant women for cognitive vulnerability and depression.
• Measured negative thinking patterns.

Grazioli and Terry — Findings

• Women with higher levels of negative thinking more likely to develop depression later.
• Supports cognitive explanation of depression.

Cognitive Explanation Evaluation — Research Support

• Grazioli and Terry found negative thinking linked to depression.

Cognitive Explanation Evaluation — Biological Factors Ignored

• Some depression may have biological causes such as genetics or neurotransmitters.

Cognitive Explanation Evaluation — Cause and Effect Problem

• Negative thinking may result from depression rather than cause it.

March et al. — Aim

• Investigated effectiveness of CBT for adolescent depression.

March et al. — Procedure

• Compared CBT, antidepressants, CBT plus antidepressants and placebo treatments.

March et al. — Findings

• CBT combined with antidepressants most effective treatment.
• Improvement greater than medication alone.

CBT Evaluation — Effective Treatment

• March et al. supports effectiveness of CBT for depression.

CBT Evaluation — Long-Term Benefits

• CBT teaches coping skills helping prevent relapse.

CBT Evaluation — Time and Motivation

• Requires effort and engagement from patient.
• Severely depressed patients may struggle to participate.

CBT Evaluation — Not Suitable for Everyone

• Some patients prefer medication.
• CBT may not work alone for severe depression.