Explantions of Unipolar Depression

The Congittive Model of Depression- BECK (1967)

• depression is the result of maladaptive congitive processes.
• Beck beliebe there a 3 aspects to his congitive model: the congitive triad, congitive errors and negative schemate,

THE CONGITIVE TRIAD:

• THEMSELVES
• THE WORLD
• THE FURTURE

CATASTROPHISING is involved as the individual interprets every situation in the worst possible way, seeing disaster when there is none,

COGNITIVE ERRORS:

• COGNITIVE ERRORS mean that an individual gives selective attention to the negative side of a situation and always ignores the positive aspects. BECK DESCRIBED THIS A FAULTY THOUGHT PATTERNS. the 'downside' is overestimated so that the most negative conclusion possible is reached when in a situation.
• this may mean depressed people believe other are critical of them, that they are always failing, that people are not speaking to them as they do not like them.
• Beck suggests that the more the person interprets things negatively the more depressed they become causing mood to spiral downwards.

NEGATIVE SCHEMATA:

• BECK argues people with unipolar depression develop negative schemata, which is patterns of maladaptive thoughs and beliefs built up through experiences of the world.
• There can be a range of developmental expierences such as genetic factors, peer rejection, loss of a paretn or criticism from teachers.
• These negative schemata then shape how an individual assings meanings to the events.

• It is suggested a generalised negative belief pattern will make someone vunerable to depression.
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