Explanation for Depression notes

Beck's Negative Triad

• Introduction

  • American psychiatrist Aaron Beck (1967)

  • Cognitive approach to explaining vulnerability to depression

  • Focus on a person's cognitions and the way they think

• Cognitive Vulnerability Components

  • Faulty Information Processing

    • Depressed individuals focus on negatives and ignore positives

    • Example: Winning £1 million but focusing on someone winning £10 million

    • Tendency towards black and white thinking

  • Negative Self-Schema

    • Schema as a mental framework for interpreting information

    • Self-schema: package of information about oneself

    • Negative self-schema leads to interpreting all self-related information negatively

  • The Negative Triad

    • Three types of negative thinking that occur automatically

    • Negative View of the World

      • Example: The world is a cold, hard place

      • Creates a sense of hopelessness

    • Negative View of the Future

      • Example: Little chance of economic improvement

      • Reduces hopefulness and enhances depression

    • Negative View of the Self

      • Example: I am a failure

      • Confirms low self-esteem and exacerbates depressive feelings

Evaluation Research Support for Beck's Cognitive Model of Depression

• Cognitive Vulnerability

  • Refers to ways of thinking predisposing a person to depression

  • Includes faulty information processing, negative self-schema, and cognitive triad

  • Supported by research:

    • David Clark and Aaron Beck (1999) found cognitive vulnerabilities more common in depressed individuals

    • Joseph Cohen et al. (2019) confirmed cognitive vulnerabilities precede depression in a prospective study with 473 adolescents

• Real-World Application

  • Screening and Monitoring

    • Assessing cognitive vulnerability helps screen individuals at risk of future depression

    • Allows for monitoring and early intervention

  • Treatment

    • Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) utilizes understanding of cognitive vulnerability

    • Alters vulnerable cognitions to increase resilience to depression

  • Clinical Practice

    • Cognitive vulnerability understanding is beneficial in screening, monitoring, and treatment of depression

A Partial Explanation for Depression

• Introduction

  • Depressed individuals exhibit distinct cognitive patterns.

  • Beck's theory of cognitive vulnerabilities as a partial explanation for depression.

• Cognitive Vulnerabilities in Depression

  • Cognitive patterns observed before the onset of depression.

  • Beck's suggestion of cognitive vulnerabilities.

• Limitations of Cognitive Explanations

  • Some aspects of depression not fully explained by cognitive theories.

  • Examples: extreme anger, hallucinations, delusions in some depressed individuals.

• Evaluation of Cognitive Vulnerability

  • Assessing the adequacy of cognitive vulnerability as an explanation for depression.

  • Consideration of the limitations and exceptions to cognitive theories.

• Conclusion

  • Reflect on whether cognitive vulnerability provides a comprehensive explanation for depression.

  • Encourage further exploration and research into alternative or complementary explanations.

Outline for Ellis's ABC Model

• Introduction

  • Explanation of Albert Ellis's cognitive explanation of depression

  • Definition of good mental health as a result of rational thinking

• A Activating Event

  • Focus on situations triggering irrational thoughts by external events

  • Examples of negative events triggering irrational beliefs like failing a test or ending a relationship

• B Beliefs

  • Identification of various irrational beliefs by Ellis

  • Examples of irrational beliefs such as "musturbation" and "I-can't-stand-it-itis"

• C Consequences

  • Explanation of emotional and behavioral consequences of irrational beliefs

  • Example of how irrational beliefs can lead to depression when faced with failure

• Conclusion

  • Summary of how the ABC model explains the impact of irrational thoughts on behavior and emotional state

Evaluation of Ellis's ABC Model in the Psychological Treatment of Depression

• Real-world Application of Ellis's ABC Model

  • Ellis's approach to cognitive therapy: Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

  • REBT aims to alter irrational beliefs through vigorous argumentation

  • Evidence supporting REBT's effectiveness in changing negative beliefs and relieving depression symptoms

• Strengths of Ellis's ABC Model

  • Real-world value in psychological treatment of depression

  • Application of REBT in altering irrational beliefs

• Limitations of Ellis's ABC Model

  • Focuses on explaining reactive depression, not endogenous depression

  • Reactive depression linked to life events (activating events)

  • Endogenous depression not easily traceable to life events

  • ABC model less useful in explaining endogenous depression

  • Model provides only a partial explanation for depression cases

Ethical Issues of the ABC Model in Depression and REBT

I. Introduction

• Brief overview of the ABC model in depression and REBT

• Mention of the controversy surrounding the model's ethical implications

II. Arguments Against the ABC Model

• Locating responsibility solely with the depressed individual

• Criticism of blaming the depressed person unfairly

III. Arguments For the ABC Model

• Potential benefits when used appropriately and sensitively

• Helping some individuals achieve resilience and improved well-being

IV. Evaluation of REBT Ethics

• Consideration of the overall impact on individuals

• Examination of the balance between benefits and potential harm

• Discussion on whether the benefits outweigh the ethical concerns

V. Conclusion

• Summary of the ethical considerations surrounding the ABC model in depression and REBT

• Reflection on whether REBT should be deemed unethical in the end