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The Ideas Of Albert Ellis And Beck's Cognitive Theory

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Cognitive Theory Albert Ellis and Arron Beck are both considered to be the founders of cognitive theory. In the 1950’s, Beck and Ellis focused on cognitive concepts where the increasing importance was applied to the role of cognitive processes in psychiatric (Early & Grady, 2017). Ellis infers that irrational beliefs are the foundation that dysfunctional behaviors stem from and Beck established research that classified depression as a product of an individual’s negative beliefs (Coady & Lehmann, 2016). Cognitive theorists may view problem behavior as either positive or negative reinforcement that is delivered from the environment where an emphasis is placed on what role thoughts play in maintaining the problem (Early & Grady, 2017). …show more content…

Although the cognitive theory has been modified since its beginnings, it is still consistent with the basic notion which considers depression a disorder of thought (Varga, 2014). Cognitive theorists believe depression is a direct consequence produced by beliefs that are negative in nature, lack logic, or self-destructive (Coady & Lehmann, 2016). Bandura suggests that self-concepts of individuals with depression reveal characteristics of self-blame where they hold themselves entirely responsible for negative events in their lives (Bandura, 1991). Depressed individuals are claimed to exhibit low levels of self-efficacy and are considered to have faulty judgment where they tend to set their personal goals too high and are unable to reach them (Bandura, 1991). This repeated failure is said to intensify an individual’s feelings of not being able to make needed changes which then creates depressive states. Beck’s research concerning depression promoted ideas that depression was a consequence of negative beliefs about self, others and the future (Coady & Lehmann, 2016). Beck reported that depressed individuals are often self-critical, feel hopeless, victimized and view their situations in negative terms (Coady & Lehmann, 2016). Depressed individuals are claimed to exhibit unhealthy thinking styles such as minimizing events or subject matter. Application Mark presented with depression which is the groundwork that cognitive theory stems from.

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