Cognitive Approach to Explaining Depression

Beck’s Explanation of Depression

Cognitive approach to explaining why some are more vulnerable to depression than others. Cognitions (the way we think) create vulnerability. The vulnerability has 3 parts

What does Beck’s Faulty Information Processing mean?

Depressed people tend to focus on the negatives > positives. E.g. If they won 1mil in the lottery, they may focus on the previous winner getting 10mil. ‘Black-and-white thinking’ = everything is either all-good or all-bad.

Beck: Negative Self-Schema

Schema: collection of ideas & info developed through experience = a mental framework to interpret sensory info. A self-schema: ‘package’ of info about oneself. People use schema to interpret the world → negative self-schema = see themselves in a bad way.

Beck: Negative Triad

3 types of common negative thinking regardless of reality (negative triad) → dysfunctional view of oneself developed. 1) Negative view of the world. 2) Negative view of the future. 3) Negative view of the self.

What is Ellis’ explanation of depression?

Rational thinking (allows people to be happy/free of pain)→ good mental health. Irrational thoughts (not illogical, but interfere with being happy/free of pain) → poor mental health (anxiety & depression.) Uses ABC model to explain this.

Ellis: Activating Event

Irrational thoughts triggered by external events. Experience negative events → negative beliefs → depression. (E.g. ending a relationship, failing an important test, etc)

Ellis: Beliefs

A range of irrational beliefs. ‘Musturbation’: belief that we must always succeed. ‘I-can’t-stand-it-itis’: major disaster when everything doesn’t go smoothly. ‘Utopianism’: life is always mean to be fair.

Ellis: Consequences

Activating event triggers irrational beliefs → emotional/behavioural consequences. (E.g. musturbatory thinking & fails something → trigger depression.)

Beck: Strength: Research Support

‘Cognitive vulnerability’: predispose a person to becoming depressed. Clark & Beck review (1999): cognitive vulnerabilities more common in those with depression & preceded depression. Joseph Cohen (2019): 473 adolescents tracked & regularly measuring cognitive vulnerability. CV predicted later depression. Proves association.

Beck: Weakness: Partial explanation

Does not explain all symptoms of depression. Some people feel anger & some experience hallucinations/delusions that cannot be explained by cognitive vulnerability.

Beck: Strength: Application in Clinical Practice

Application in screening/treatment for depression. Cohen et al: psychologists screen young people & identify those at risk of depression & monitor them. Can be applied in CBT as it alters the thinking styles that make people vulnerable to depression → more resilient to life events.

Ellis: Strength: Application in Treatment

REBT: vigorously argue with a depressed person to alter the irrational beliefs that are making them unhappy. Evidence: can change beliefs & relieve negative symptoms of depression (David et al 2018).

Ellis: Weakness: Partial Explanation

It only explains reactive depression & not endogenous depression. Depression is triggered by life (‘activating’) events & how we respond to negative events is partially the result of our beliefs. However, many cases of depression aren’t traceable to an event & the cause is unclear (endogenous depression). Partial explanation.