Problems with the Cognitive Model of Depression
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The cognitive model of depression has three main problems. First, it is
vague on what kind of depression is modeled (Depue and Monroe, 1978).
It is probably not an especially good model of the subclasses of unipolar depression
that are "biological" and "endogenous." Biological depressions
may be better treated by somatic therapy than cognitive-behavioral therapies,
although this has yet to be tested. Second, cognitive theory is weak in
accounting for the physical symptoms of depression; these seem better
explained by the biological model. Similarly, although the cognitive model
does not predict that somatic therapy would be effective, the effective somatic
therapies do succeed in breaking up learned helplessness in animals,
as well as depression in humans.
Third, experimental controversy still rages over many of the major
points of the learned helplessness model of depression. Some critics doubt
whether learned helplessness in animals is produced by an expectation,
believing it to be either learned inactivity or norepinephrine depletion (Glazer
and Weiss, 1976; Weiss, Glazer, and Pohoresky, 1976, Anisman, 1978).
Others have argued that the learned helplessness deficits seen in human
beings do not follow closely from the theory (Buchwald, Coyne, and Cole,
1978; Costello, 1978). There also has been difficulty in replicating some of
the basic human phenomena (McNitt and Thornton, 1978; Willis and
Blaney, 1978). Further, the learned helplessness model has been tested more
often in mildly depressed students than it has been tested in clinically depressed
patients. It is still controversial whether the relationship between
mild depression and severe depression is continuous or discontinuous
(Abramson, Garber, Edwards, and Seligman, 1978; O'Leary, Donovan,
Krueger, and Cysewski, 1978; Price, Tryon, and Raps, 1978; Smolen, 1978).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Treating:
Depression
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Social Anxiety
Generalized Anxiety
Panic Disorder
Major Depression Disorder
Agoraphobia
For the Therapy I recommend click here:
The Liberator Method
vague on what kind of depression is modeled (Depue and Monroe, 1978).
It is probably not an especially good model of the subclasses of unipolar depression
that are "biological" and "endogenous." Biological depressions
may be better treated by somatic therapy than cognitive-behavioral therapies,
although this has yet to be tested. Second, cognitive theory is weak in
accounting for the physical symptoms of depression; these seem better
explained by the biological model. Similarly, although the cognitive model
does not predict that somatic therapy would be effective, the effective somatic
therapies do succeed in breaking up learned helplessness in animals,
as well as depression in humans.
Third, experimental controversy still rages over many of the major
points of the learned helplessness model of depression. Some critics doubt
whether learned helplessness in animals is produced by an expectation,
believing it to be either learned inactivity or norepinephrine depletion (Glazer
and Weiss, 1976; Weiss, Glazer, and Pohoresky, 1976, Anisman, 1978).
Others have argued that the learned helplessness deficits seen in human
beings do not follow closely from the theory (Buchwald, Coyne, and Cole,
1978; Costello, 1978). There also has been difficulty in replicating some of
the basic human phenomena (McNitt and Thornton, 1978; Willis and
Blaney, 1978). Further, the learned helplessness model has been tested more
often in mildly depressed students than it has been tested in clinically depressed
patients. It is still controversial whether the relationship between
mild depression and severe depression is continuous or discontinuous
(Abramson, Garber, Edwards, and Seligman, 1978; O'Leary, Donovan,
Krueger, and Cysewski, 1978; Price, Tryon, and Raps, 1978; Smolen, 1978).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Treating:
Depression
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Social Anxiety
Generalized Anxiety
Panic Disorder
Major Depression Disorder
Agoraphobia
For the Therapy I recommend click here:
The Liberator Method