Outline and evaluate psychological therapies of depression (24)
A01
This method of treatment is based on the idea that how we think (cognition), how we feel (emotion) and how we act (behaviour) all interact together, with our thoughts determining our feelings and behaviour. Negative thought then cause us distress and result in problems. The aim of CBT is to help people become aware of when they make negative interpretations and of behavioural patterns which reinforce the distorted thinking. Thought catching is the stage in CBT in which fault cognitions are identified and influence is made to correct them. Behavioural activation involved completing physical activities, something which depressed people do not involve themselves in but can be used as an antidote.
Psychodynamic interpersonal therapy emphasises the importance of therapeutic conversation in which past problems are talked about and relived, ensuring a stable relationship between therapist and client. There are many components to PIT. Exploratory rationale identifies difficult relationships and a rationale is developed linking this to current symptoms. Shared understanding involves the therapist truly understanding the client’s experiences. A third part of the therapy is recreating the different feelings within a therapeutic environment. Through this the therapist tries to modify the disturbances which ultimately causes depression
A02
There is empirical support for the use of CBT in the treatment of depression. Robinson et al conducted a metal analysis that found that CBT was more effective in depressed individuals comparing it to no-treatment control groups. This suggests that reduction of symptoms was not due to chance, but the effect of CBT. However, on closer inspection when the control groups were subdivided into no-treatment (waiting list) and placebo groups, CBT was not significantly more