PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPIES FOR DEPRESSION
PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPIES FOR DEPRESSION
To read up on psychological therapies for depression, refer to pages 459–468 of Eysenck’s A2 Level Psychology.
Ask yourself
How can the behavioural approach be applied to the treatment of depression?
How can the cognitive approach be applied to the treatment of depression?
Which psychological therapy do you think will be most effective for depression?
What you need to know
PSYCHODYNAMIC THERAPY
BEHAVIOUR THERAPY
COGNITIVE AND COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY
Freud’s psychoanalysis and newer forms of psychodynamic therapy
Effectiveness and appropriateness
Forms of behaviour therapy
Effectiveness and appropriateness
Beck’s cognitive therapy
Assumptions underlying cognitive-behavioural therapy
Effectiveness and appropriateness
Psychodynamic therapy
The original form of psychodynamic therapy was psychoanalysis, which was developed by Sigmund Freud over 100 years ago. Remember Freud linked depression to low self-esteem and excessive dependence due to over- or under-gratification in the oral stage, which meant the individual was unable to cope with loss. Consequently, Freud argued that it is crucial in therapy to uncover depressed patients’ repressed memories and allow them to gain insight into the factors causing their depression.
Freud used free association to gain access to the unconscious, which involves the client saying whatever comes into his or her mind. This method often doesn’t work very well because the client might be reluctant to say what he or she is really thinking. However, according to Freud, long pauses in what the client says indicate that he or she is moving close to an important repressed idea. Skilled therapists regard the presence of long pauses as an indication that additional questioning and discussion are required.
A second method Freud used to access the unconscious is dream analysis. He claimed we are much more likely to gain access to repressed material while dreaming than
To read up on psychological therapies for depression, refer to pages 459–468 of Eysenck’s A2 Level Psychology.
Ask yourself
How can the behavioural approach be applied to the treatment of depression?
How can the cognitive approach be applied to the treatment of depression?
Which psychological therapy do you think will be most effective for depression?
What you need to know
PSYCHODYNAMIC THERAPY
BEHAVIOUR THERAPY
COGNITIVE AND COGNITIVE-BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY
Freud’s psychoanalysis and newer forms of psychodynamic therapy
Effectiveness and appropriateness
Forms of behaviour therapy
Effectiveness and appropriateness
Beck’s cognitive therapy
Assumptions underlying cognitive-behavioural therapy
Effectiveness and appropriateness
Psychodynamic therapy
The original form of psychodynamic therapy was psychoanalysis, which was developed by Sigmund Freud over 100 years ago. Remember Freud linked depression to low self-esteem and excessive dependence due to over- or under-gratification in the oral stage, which meant the individual was unable to cope with loss. Consequently, Freud argued that it is crucial in therapy to uncover depressed patients’ repressed memories and allow them to gain insight into the factors causing their depression.
Freud used free association to gain access to the unconscious, which involves the client saying whatever comes into his or her mind. This method often doesn’t work very well because the client might be reluctant to say what he or she is really thinking. However, according to Freud, long pauses in what the client says indicate that he or she is moving close to an important repressed idea. Skilled therapists regard the presence of long pauses as an indication that additional questioning and discussion are required.
A second method Freud used to access the unconscious is dream analysis. He claimed we are much more likely to gain access to repressed material while dreaming than