4- cognitive explanations for depression

There are two main theories of depression. Who proposed these?

Beck and Ellis

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

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

What type of thinking occurs with faulty information processing?

Absolutist (or black and 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, negative view of the world and a negative view of the future

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

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

What is meant by a cognitive bias?

The focus upon negative aspects of their lives and ignorance of positive ones

What does a cognitive bias lead to?

Being trapped in a vicious circle of depression

What was Ellis’s theory of depression based on?

Irrational beliefs

Ellis’s theory is also known as what?

ABC model

What does A stand for and include an example?

Activating event i.e. something which will trigger irrational beliefs e.g. a break-up

What does B stand for?

Include an example. Beliefs e.g. musturbation, I-can’t-stand-it-it is and utopianism

What does C stand for?

Consequences (emotional and 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 utopianism?

The belief that life is always meant to be fair

What empirical evidence is there in support of Beck’s theory of negative self-schemas and the negative triad?

Grazioli and Terry who assessed 65 pregnant women for cognitive vulnerability before and after birth. Those with cognitive vulnerability were more likely to suffer from post-natal depression.

What is it about the timing of faulty information processing, negative self-schemas and the negative triad makes us think that Beck’s theory may be correct?

They occur before the onset of depression.

What is a real-world application of both Beck’s and Ellis’s theories?

Therapy (CBT – Beck and REBT – Ellis)

Beck and Ellis can’t explain what?

Deep feelings of anger, hallucinations and bizarre beliefs

In what way is Ellis’s theory limited?

Not all cases of depression have a cause

In what way might cognitive primacy be incorrect?

Emotions aren’t always the result of cognitions meaning depression doesn’t always have a cognitive basis.

What did Lewinsohn conclude?

Hopeless and negative thinking may be a consequence of depression not a cause