Depression

In this article it starts off talking about how Beck’s theory was that the reason for being depressed is because of having negative thoughts. Negative thoughts bring depressive symptoms not vice versa. Beck’s main argument was that if you don’t have a good view of oneself than that brings depression, not that depression makes a person not have a good view of oneself. There are many things that could make a person depressed but what he was trying to say is that you have to have factors to make you depressed, that depression doesn’t create them.

Studies done by Sato an McCann shown on Beck’s sociotropy-autonomy scale that the scale had originally been made to identify self-feelings that would lead to depression. When they say self-feelings they mean solitude, independence, and individual activity. However, the results of the studies showed that the independence did not go along with the depression. It also showed that the sociotropy was a precursor to depression, not the autonomy. As they described “sociotropy can be characterized by an individual’s emphasis on interpersonal interactions involving intimacy, sharing, empathy, understanding, approval, affection, protection, guidance, and help tend to place importance on seeking approval from others and on trying to avoid disapproval from others as much as possible.” So it shows that there was a strong similarity with sociotropy and depression, which is a trait that’s strong when relating to underlying thoughts an emotions.

Beck’s Negative Cognitive Triad explains that negative thoughts are about the self, the future, and the world. For example, a study done by Brown et al in 1995 which centered there focus on college students getting poor exam scores. When they talk about oneself, as in they do not deserve to be in college. When they talk about the future, because they would not pass the class. Finally when they relate the poor exam grades to the world, meaning, they will not enjoy the class.

Since Beck was the originator of this theory its naturally going to be the most accurate. But, it has catalyzed a lot of work relating to cognitive theory and depression, which around that time was rare. A large portion of the study of depression relies on this theory. We have looked at Beck’s Cognitive Model of Depression, which tells us that dysfunctional beliefs are created by an early experience. Beck believes that critical events would activate these beliefs. It would make negative thoughts automatically about oneself which then leads to sadness and makes more negative automatic thoughts.

The studies in this article are a small portion of all the ongoing studies going on today. Scientists still use Beck’s theory and overlook it. It has a large impact on the way we look at depression relating to clinical psychology.

Josiah P. Allen stated that women are more likely to be depressed than males due to “mixed signals in society”. He says that Beck’s theory