Depression
Cognitive Explanations of Depression
The cognitive approach emphasises the importance of irrational thinking in the development of
depression.
The ABC Model: Albert Ellis (1962)
Albert Ellis proposed that the key to all mental disorders lies in irrational beliefs. Ellis proposed
the ABC Model to demonstrate how a negative life event and irrational beliefs can cause
depression.
A = Activating event
B = Beliefs (rational or irrational)
C = Consequence (healthy or unhealthy)
Example:
A = break up
B = rational: sad but I’ll find someone new
irrational: it was all my fault, I can’t live without this person
C = healthy emotion: acceptance
unhealthy emotion: depression
Musturbatory Thinking
Ellis stated that the source of irrational beliefs lies in musturbatory thinking. This is the idea that
/ assumption that something must be true in order for an individual to be happy.
He identified 3 most important beliefs:
- I must be approved / accepted by people I find important
- I must do very well otherwise I am worthless
- The world must give me happiness, or I will die. This is based on the idea of Utopianism –
the belief that the world must always be fair and just)
Beck’s Cognitive Theory of Depression (1967)
Faulty information processing: When depressed individuals attend to the negative of a situation
and ignore the positives. (for example, absolutist thinking)
, Negative self-schemas: If you have a negative self-schema, you interpret all information about
yourself in a negative way. Depressed people develop this negative self-schema in childhood. This
could be due to parent or peer rejection or criticisms from teachers.
The Negative Triad
Negative view about the world: ‘the world is a cruel, hard place’
Negative view about the future: ‘I am going to be old and alone’ ‘my life will never get better’
Negative views about the self: ‘I am a failure’ ‘I am undesirable’ - thoughts which impact self-
esteem
Point Evidence Conclusion
A weakness of cognitive Alloy and Abrahamson This challenges the
explanations for depression (1979) suggest that credibility of cognitive
is that ‘irrational beliefs’ depressive realists tend to explanations for depression
may in fact be more see things for what they as it suggests depression is
realistic. actually are. They found developed through
that depressed people irrational thoughts, but
gave more accurate research suggests these
estimates of the likelihood thoughts are not entirely
of a disaster than ‘normal’ irrational, bringing the
controls. value of the explanation
into question.
A strength of cognitive Grazioli and Terry (2000) This supports the cognitive
explanations for depression assessed 65 pregnant explanation as it suggests
is that there is evidence women for cognitive that it is based on
suggesting depression is vulnerability and empirical evidence rather
caused by faulty depression before and after than being purely
processing, negative self- birth. They found that those theoretical, demonstrating
schemas and the women judged to be high in that depression is caused
cognitive triad. cognitive vulnerability by becoming habituated
were more likely to suffer
Cognitive Explanations of Depression
The cognitive approach emphasises the importance of irrational thinking in the development of
depression.
The ABC Model: Albert Ellis (1962)
Albert Ellis proposed that the key to all mental disorders lies in irrational beliefs. Ellis proposed
the ABC Model to demonstrate how a negative life event and irrational beliefs can cause
depression.
A = Activating event
B = Beliefs (rational or irrational)
C = Consequence (healthy or unhealthy)
Example:
A = break up
B = rational: sad but I’ll find someone new
irrational: it was all my fault, I can’t live without this person
C = healthy emotion: acceptance
unhealthy emotion: depression
Musturbatory Thinking
Ellis stated that the source of irrational beliefs lies in musturbatory thinking. This is the idea that
/ assumption that something must be true in order for an individual to be happy.
He identified 3 most important beliefs:
- I must be approved / accepted by people I find important
- I must do very well otherwise I am worthless
- The world must give me happiness, or I will die. This is based on the idea of Utopianism –
the belief that the world must always be fair and just)
Beck’s Cognitive Theory of Depression (1967)
Faulty information processing: When depressed individuals attend to the negative of a situation
and ignore the positives. (for example, absolutist thinking)
, Negative self-schemas: If you have a negative self-schema, you interpret all information about
yourself in a negative way. Depressed people develop this negative self-schema in childhood. This
could be due to parent or peer rejection or criticisms from teachers.
The Negative Triad
Negative view about the world: ‘the world is a cruel, hard place’
Negative view about the future: ‘I am going to be old and alone’ ‘my life will never get better’
Negative views about the self: ‘I am a failure’ ‘I am undesirable’ - thoughts which impact self-
esteem
Point Evidence Conclusion
A weakness of cognitive Alloy and Abrahamson This challenges the
explanations for depression (1979) suggest that credibility of cognitive
is that ‘irrational beliefs’ depressive realists tend to explanations for depression
may in fact be more see things for what they as it suggests depression is
realistic. actually are. They found developed through
that depressed people irrational thoughts, but
gave more accurate research suggests these
estimates of the likelihood thoughts are not entirely
of a disaster than ‘normal’ irrational, bringing the
controls. value of the explanation
into question.
A strength of cognitive Grazioli and Terry (2000) This supports the cognitive
explanations for depression assessed 65 pregnant explanation as it suggests
is that there is evidence women for cognitive that it is based on
suggesting depression is vulnerability and empirical evidence rather
caused by faulty depression before and after than being purely
processing, negative self- birth. They found that those theoretical, demonstrating
schemas and the women judged to be high in that depression is caused
cognitive triad. cognitive vulnerability by becoming habituated
were more likely to suffer
