Abstract
In their commentary on our earlier review (Coyne & Gotlib, 1983), Segal and Shaw minimize the problems faced by the cognitive approach to the study of depression. Their repeated references to cognitive processes that are latent and therefore not reported by subjects represent a substantial retreat from empiricism. In general, the notion of schema or schematic processing remains problematic. Published research does not support the existence of an identifiable cognitive vulnerability to depression. Other conceptual, methodological, and empirical difficulties are noted. We argue that the central defect in current cognitive approaches to depression is their inattention to the difficulties faced by depressed persons in their everyday environments, how they cope, and with what consequences.
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Coyne, J.C., Gotlib, I. Studying the role of cognition in depression: Well-trodden paths and cul-de-sacs. Cogn Ther Res 10, 695–705 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01173755
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01173755