THE COGNITIVE APPROACH TO EXPLAINING DEPRESSION



BECK’S NEGATIVE COGNITIVE TRIAD (1967)

→ This approach to explaining depression is based on the concept of ‘schemas’

→ It suggests that depression is the result of holding negative schemas about the world, the self and the future


The Self: ‘I’m undesirable’

The World: ‘I understand why everybody hates me, everyone else is so much better than me’

The Future: ‘Things will never get better for me’


→ This pessimistic view becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy and leads to cognitive bias



EVALUATION


Research Support

→ SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

  • One strength of Beck’s negative triad is the existence of supporting research.

  • ‘Cognitive vulnerability’ refers to ways of thinking that may predispose a person to becoming depressed.

  • In one study, psychologists tracked the development of of 473 adolescents, measuring cognitive vulnerability. They concluded that the cognitive vulnerabilities preceded depression.

  • This shows that there is an association between cognitive vulnerability and depression.


→ REAL-LIFE APPLICATION

  • One strength of Beck’s negative triad is that it has good application in the screening and treatment of depression.

  • Psychologists concluded that you could screen young people with cognitive vulnerabilities and identify those most at risk to develop depression, and monitor them.

  • Understanding cognitive vulnerability can also be applied in CBT when treating depression.

  • This means that an understanding of cognitive vulnerability is useful in more than one aspect of clinical practice.




ELLIS’ ABC MODEL (1962)

→ Focuses on irrational beliefs as the source of depression

→ It is not what happens to someone that causes depression, but how they deal with it


A = Activation Event

B = Beliefs (can be rational or irrational)

C = Consequence (irrational beliefs ALWAYS result in depression)



EVALUATION


Research Support

→ REAL-LIFE APPLICATION

  • One strength of Ellis’ ABC model is that it has good application to treatments.

  • Ellis’ approach to cognitive therapy is REBT, which consists of arguing with the depressed person to challenge their irrational beliefs.

  • Psychologists suggest that REBT can change negative beliefs and relieve symptoms of depression.

  • This means that REBT has real-world value.



Conflicting Evidence

→ LIMITED EXPLANATION

  • One limitation of Ellis’ ABC model is that it only explains reactive depression and not endogenous depression.

  • Reactive depression supports Ellis’ idea of the activating event.

  • However, many cases of depression are not traceable to life events, and it is not obvious what causes the depression - this is endogenous. Therefore it only explains some types types of depression.

  • This means that Ellis’ ABC model can only explain some causes of depression and therefore is only a partial explanation.


→ ETHICAL ISSUES

  • One limitation of Ellis’ ABC model is that it located responsibility for depression purely with the depressed person.

  • Critics say that they are blaming the individual for having depression.

  • However, provided it is used appropriately and sensitively, the treatment (REBT) appears to help depressed people to achieve resilience and feel better.

  • This means that during treatment we must be careful when applying Ellis’ ABC to not make the patient feel worse about their condition.