Cognitive approach to depression (AO1 +AO3)

Depression – mood disorder – leads us to function normally, diminished interest in life

Cognitive = irrational thoughts

ELLIS: ABC model

-          Everyone has rational and irrational thoughts. It turns into depression when these thoughts affect your life.

-          A = Activating/ negative event – fail mock exam

-          B = Belief/ irrational – keep on failing mock exam

-          C = Unhealthy negative – Depression/ emotion

Mustabatory thoughts – certain ideas or assumptions that must come true in order to function.

Research to support that people suffering from depression do have faulty and irrational thoughts.

Gustafason – found that depressed people made more negative assumptions about themselves than non-depressed.

Therefore, this supports irrational thoughts.

Practical applications

CBT and REBT have been developed from this approach and are effective at helping depression.

Therefore, if the therapy is successful there is truth in the cognitive explanation.  

Lack of sense of control in your life- cognitive bias distorts or misinterprets event overgeneralise + catastrophize e.g. fail 1 test means you will fail them all

-          Negative schema – develop in childhood – parents, peers. 

-          Physical/ emotional abuse – interpret all events using this negative schema.

-          Negative triad 

Cant establish cause and effect 

depression - caused by faulty thoughts. Faulty thoughts is caused by depression. Could be faulty thoughts is just be the symptom - not taking away the cause.

Therefore, It`s pallative.

Blames patient 

assumes that the patient can solve the depresssion themselves. ignores biology - ignores the roles of seritonin. potentially NOT the patients fault. 

Therefore, approach is limited