Cognitive Explanation Of Depression

Front 1

The cognitive triad (Beck)

Back 1

Depressed people have unrealistically negative ways of thinking about themselves, their experiences and their future

Front 2

Beck's theory

Back 2

Secondary symptoms of depression can be understood in terms of this core of negative beliefs. A lack of motivation could be the result of a combination of pessimism and helplessness. A person might lose interest in things they used to enjoy if they do not have the expectation that they will feel better by doing them.

Front 3

Silent assumptions

Back 3

Inner life of depressed people is dominated by a set of assumptions that shape conscious cognitions. These assumptions derive ultimately from the messages we receive from parents, friends, teachers and other significant people.

"I must get people's approval"

"I must be valued by others or my life has no meaning"

Front 4

Information processing

Back 4

This concerns how depressed people are prone to distorting and misinterpreting information from the world. They are inclined to make overly negative and self-defeating interpretations that lead to low mood and passivity

Front 5

Catastrophising

Back 5

Exaggerating a minor setback until it becomes a complete disaster

- 'Needing to buy something but not arriving in time for when you need it.'1

Front 6

Personalising

Back 6

Taking responsibility and blame for all bad things that happen

- 'Parents breaking up is because of you

Front 7

Overgeneralisation

Back 7

Drawing sweeping conclusions based on a single incidence

-Seeing your boyfriend talking to another girl and thinking he's cheating on you

Front 8

Black and white thinking

Back 8

Seeing everything in terms of success or failure

- Getting a good mark but thinking you failed because it wasn't an A

Front 9

Selective thinking

Back 9

Focusing on negative details or events whilst ignoring positive ones

- Really good day but ignoring that and only thinking of the bad thing someone said to you

Front 10

IDA

Back 10

Causation - do these negative thoughts cause depression or do they arise because a person is depressed? The cognitive model is much more important if the former is the case but the evidence is not conclusive. Segal, looked at recovering depressives and non-depressed people suggest negative thinking is a consequence rather than a factor

Front 11

Evidence - Joiner and Rohde

Back 11

Measured negative or dysfunctional attitudes ("my life is wasted unless I am a success") in adolescents not having a major depressive disorder at the onset of the study. One year later they assessed the negative life events experienced by the participants and whether they had developed the disorder. Those with negative life events had an increased risk of developing the disorder only if they were initially high on in dysfunctional attitudes

Front 12

Grounding Joiner and Rohde

Back 12

This partially supports the theory because you need bad events not just negative thoughts to get depression when the theory just says you have negative thoughts

Front 13

Evidence - Evans

Back 13

Assessed negative or dysfunctional self beliefs in women in the 18th week of pregnancy. Those with the highest scores for negative self-beliefs were 60% more likely to become depressed. Found that negative self-beliefs predicted the onset of depression 3 years later

Front 14

Grounding - Evans

Back 14

This supports the theory because the omen who have negative thoughts and self-beliefs are more likely to develop depression. It suggests that these negative thoughts are the cause of depression

Front 15

Evidence - Mezulis

Back 15

The origins of cognitive vulnerability, specifically Becks idea that parental criticism can cause negative thinking and depression. They followed 289 U.S children from infancy to 11 years olf looking at cognitive style, life events, parenting style using questionnaires.

Parental behavior not associated with negative cognitive stlye

Front 16

Grounding Mezulis

Back 16

Silent assumption says that the messages should deprive from parents and this study it's clear that the children haven't, therefore it doesn't support the study.

Front 17

AO3

Back 17

Mezulis study is good because it's a longitudinal study and therefore you can see how it develops. It is also a very big sample size for the length this means it's a valid study for looking at causes for silent assumptions

Front 18

Grounding AO3

Back 18

This is a valid study but it's a problem for the theory because it doesn't support it so where do the assumptions come from?

Front 19

Wider Evaluation

Back 19

Cognitive explanations have been useful; they have stimulated a huge amount of research which has contributed to our understanding of the disorder. Cognitive behavioural therapies have been helpful in alleviating depression