Lewinsohn’s Behavioral Theory of Depression

Psychologist Peter Lewinsohn proposed a behavioral theory of the origin of depression.

If we think of depression as one of the most serious and frequent mental disorders in the world, we will realize that it is a problem that must be combated.

Part of the solution is to analyze the problem and try to unravel its causes. In this sense, many authors throughout history have tried to generate hypotheses and theories regarding the origin of depression.

At the psychological level, one of the best known is Lewinsohn's behavioral theory of depression.which we are going to comment along the next lines.

Depression: a brief description of the problem

In order to understand Lewinsohn's behavioral theory of depression, it is first necessary to understand the type of problem that Lewinsohn's theory seeks to explain: depression.

Depression is understood as one of the main mood disorders (and one of the most frequent mental problems worldwide) which is characterized by the continued existence for most of the day and most of the days of at least two weeks of a sad mood and/or the presence of anhedonia (loss of the capacity to feel pleasure and satisfaction), in addition to other symptoms such as hopelessness, passivity, sleep problems, loss of appetite and weight, loss of sexual libido or ideas of death and suicide.

It is also common for there to be clinophilia or a tendency to remain bedridden and inactive. The person is usually unable to see himself/herself as capable of getting out of this situation.often with constant aversive ruminations and seeing oneself, the world and the future as hostile and negative.

Depression is a disorder that generates great discomfort and is profoundly disabling in all areas. in all areas. At the socio-relational level it is common for depressed people to become progressively isolated, and although initially the environment tends to show support and understanding, in the long run there may be a distancing towards the person. At work and academically, a great loss of performance is perceived.

There are many theories that try to provide an explanation regarding the causes that can generate depression, among which is Lewinsohn's behavioral theory of depression. Let's see what it consists of.

Lewinsohn's behavioral theory of depression

Lewinsohn's behavioral theory of depression is one of the main theories within the field of psychology that aims to provide an explanation as to why depression arises. This theory is based on the behaviorist currentIt focuses on explaining depression on the basis of association and conditioning processes linked to the performance of behaviors and the consequences of these actions.

Specifically, Lewinsohn's behavioral theory of depression establishes that the main cause of depression is the existence of a lack of reinforcement of the behaviors emitted by the subject in the the subject in most aspects of his life.

This implies that the actions carried out by the person do not do not provide gratification or satisfaction in most areas of his or her life.This will eventually lead to fewer and fewer behaviors. This will result in the subject gradually becoming more and more passive and eventually in the appearance of most of the symptoms of depression.

The fact of not seeing in a contingent way that the actions he/she carries out involve or have as a consequence anything positive that encourages him/her to repeat them, especially in contexts in which the person would expect to obtain them, will generate that the level of activity declines. In addition to this, at a cognitive level, the person may begin to feel emotions such as guilt, low self-esteem and negative thoughts derived and negative thoughts derived from the attribution of this lack of reinforcement to internal and stable elements.

Explanation of the causes

The reasons why this reinforcement may not occur can be multiple, and this theory considers that they can be both environmental and dispositional.

On the one hand, we can find that the environment or atmosphere surrounding the subject is not sufficiently reinforcing per se (e.g. an environment that is cold or even hostile to the subject's actions), or per se (for example, an environment that is cold or even hostile to the subject's actions), that the person does not have sufficient skills to obtain them or has difficulties in obtaining them (especially at the social level), or that the subject's perception of what is reinforcing may be biased.

Likewise, depression does not start from scratch: as Lewinsohn proposed in a reformulation of his original theory, at the onset of depressions there is usually a triggering event that causes the person's habitual behavior to be altered and from which a decrease in reinforcement (and subsequently in the subject's activity) begins.

Negative expectations and negative feelings towards oneself also appear, generating a deep malaise and affecting the various areas of life. A sequence of causes would be established that would eventually lead to less and less activity and reinforcement and the emergence of depression.

Risk and protective factors

Lewinsohn's theory also analyzes the existence of some factors that can facilitate or hinder the onset of depression: risk factors and protective factors.

In the first case, the fact of being in aversive situations with a high frequency, a precarious socio-economic situation, a high risk of depression and a high risk of depression.In the first case, a precarious socio-economic situation, acting as a caregiver (especially in the case of young children), having had depressions before, having low self-esteem and being a woman are considered factors that can increase the probability of suffering from depression.

On the other hand, frequent exposure to positive situations, perceiving oneself as competent, having high self-esteem and having a good social support network are protective factors that make it difficult for depression to arise.

• You may be interested in "The hopelessness theory of depression: what is it and what does it propose?"

Why is the depressive state maintained?

In addition to offering an explanatory framework that can guide us in establishing why depression appears, Lewinsohn's theory also also seeks to explain the mechanisms by which depression is maintained over time..

Also from a behavioral perspective, the author establishes that in the first moments after the onset of depression it is common for the sufferer to receive understanding and attention from the environment and the environment, so that his or her state is reinforced as the attention is an improvement in his or her situation.

However, this implies that the discomfort is enhanced by transforming the subject's behaviors into something that generates positive stimulation. by transforming the subject's behaviors into something that generates positive stimulation (attention received), thus remaining in force. (the attention received), thus remaining in force.

On the other hand, when the environment stops giving attention to the subject, he/she begins to receive less positive stimulation, something that on the other hand favors the maintenance of the depressive behavior since it is the lack of reinforcement of the behavior that motivated the onset of depression.

Bibliographical references:

• American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. Fifth edition. DSM-V. Masson, Barcelona.
• Belloch, A.; Sandín, B. and Ramos, F. (2002). Manual de Psicopatología, Vol. I. McGraw-Hill. Madrid.
• Lewinsohn, P.M., Gotlib, I.H. and Hautzinger, M. (1997). Behavioral treatment of unipolar depression. In V.E. Caballo (dir.), Manual for the cognitive-behavioral treatment of psychological disorders, vol. 1 (pp. 493-541). Madrid: Siglo XXI
• Vázquez, F.L., Muñoz, R.F., Becoña, E. (2000). Depression: diagnosis, theoretical models and treatment at the end of the 20th century. Psicología Conductual, 8 (3): 417-449.