Depression

Beck’s cognitive explanation AO1

• due to faulty thinking - negative interpretation of world

• Negative world view - schemas childhood

• Faulty info processes - errors thinking: overgeneralisation, catastrophising, personalisation, selective abstraction

• Cognitive triad - pessimistic view of self, world and future leads to depression

Beck’s cognitive explanation AO3

• Supporting evidence:study assessed 65 preg women before + after pregnancy for cog vulnerability + depression - women with high cog vuln before more likely suffer postnatal depression, H: not representative, focus one group, other causes for other individuals

• Practical applications: forms basis CBT all cog aspects can be identified + challenged L: improving quality of life H: very complex, some patients suffer hallucinations, very angry - Becks theory cannot explain, no therapy to help

• Socially sensitive: suggests individual is responsible for faulty thinking, not event, ind interpretation, blamed, could be abused so rightly errors thinking L: could make feel worse, unethical, H: freewill in CBT, change thinking patterns, power, pref to drugs

Ellis’s cognitive explanation AO1

• due to irrational thoughts - ABC model

• Activating events: external events that trigger irrational thoughts

• Beliefs: explanation of event

• Consequences: emotional + behavioural consequences from beliefs

• Musturbatory thinking: certain ideas must be true for one to be happy: acceptance, success

Ellis’s cognitive explanation AO3

• Practical applications: REBT- challenging negative beliefs (loud, confrontational), supported by research suggests irrational beliefs have role, H: cannot explain hallucinations or bizarre beliefs - cannot be explained

• Supporting evidence - negative cognition preceded depression- Ghen tracked cog vuln of adolescents found more likely to become depressed, L: relationship between IB & depression H: confounding variables eg poor social life

• Situational factors: events cause ind depression (not Beck) - interpretation not problem, eg breakdown relationship easily cause depression, L: less socially sensitive- doesn’t blame patient, H: role of cognitive processes not determined - AE cause depression or does depression cause activating event - not fully complete- only reactive depression not endogenous

Cognitive treatment for depression AO1

• CBT - Beck - identify + challenge faulty thoughts: goal setting to work towards, challenging negative thoughts, dysfunctional thought diary; writing rational responses to thoughts

• REBT - Ellis, challenge + dispute irrational thoughts, replace with rational, D : disputing IT, E: effect, F: new feelings produced

  • Logical disputing when beliefs don’t follow from info available-not consistent

  • Pragmatic; lack of usefulness in beliefs-how will this help?

Cognitive treatment for depression AO3

• Effective: studies show, March studied depressed adolescents, after 36 weeks 81% after CBT said symptoms had significantly improved, L: many benefitted, usefulness, H: sometimes too severe patients cannot motivate themselves, may not work

• Cost effective: REBT, short-term, average number is several, antidepressants take years, L: saves money, allows people to feel better, H: ethical concerns - rigorous argument-psychological harm, reduces credibility

• Appropriateness: CBT overemphasises cognition, other factors eg social circumstances, eg suffers from domestic violence, L: ineffective in some situations, limited treatment, F: requires motivation, may not work for all, takes 24 weeks for CBT to match drug treatment (March)

Characteristics of depression

• Behavioural: reduced activity levels, insomnia, eating behaviour, aggression, self-harm

• Emotional: low mood, anger, low self esteem

• Cognitive: poor concentration (unable to stick at a task or make straightforward decisions), absolutist thinking (situation is all good or all bad)