A Cross-Cultural Study of the Cognitive Model of Depression: Cognitive Experiences Converge between Egypt and Canada

Abstract

IntroductionModels of depression that arise in the West need to be examined in other regions of the world. This study examined a set of foundational hypotheses generated by Beck’s cognitive model of depression among depressed individuals in Egypt and Canada.MethodWe recruited 29 depressed and 29 non-depressed Egyptians and compared their results with those of 35 depressed and 38 non-depressed Canadians. Depression status was ascertained using a structured interview, scores on the Beck Depression Inventory, and scores on the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire. Participants completed questionnaires designed to measure the frequency of negative and positive automatic thoughts (ATQ–N, BHS, and ATQ–P), and dysfunctional attitudes (DAS).ResultsDepressed individuals in both countries had significantly more negative thoughts about self and future, greater frequency of dysfunctional attitudes, and diminished positive self-thoughts in comparison to non-depressed individuals. Egyptians generally showed significantly more dysfunctional attitudes than their Canadian counterparts.DiscussionThe four hypotheses that were tested were supported among the depressed Egyptian sample, which is consistent with the cognitive model. Implications for the cognitive-behavioral model and treatment for this group of sufferers are discussed.

The effects of the gender-culture interaction on self-reports of depressive symptoms: cross-cultural study among Egyptians and Canadians

“…The data were collected in the context of a larger trial by Beshai and colleagues (2016). Depressed participants were either recruited from a psychiatric clinic (Cairo, Egypt), or from the community via poster notices and social media (e.g., Facebook) advertisement.…”

“…Thoughts about self and future have often been associated with cognitive-affective symptoms of depression (Beshai, Clark & Dobson, 2013; Beshai et al, 2016). Therefore, negative self-referent thoughts have often been believed to be absent among depressed individuals of non-Western, and particularly Arabic origins (reviewed in Beshai, Dobson & Adel, 2012).…”

“…Therefore, negative self-referent thoughts have often been believed to be absent among depressed individuals of non-Western, and particularly Arabic origins (reviewed in Beshai, Dobson & Adel, 2012). Inconsistent with such beliefs, Beshai and colleagues (2012), Beshai and colleagues (2016) found that Egyptian individuals showing signs of depression reported similar levels of negative and positive thoughts about the self when compared with their Canadian counterparts.…”

“…The data for this study were collected as part of a larger trial (Beshai et al, 2016) that examined the cognitive model of depression in Egypt. In the current study, we computed separate scores for the somatic-vegetative and cognitive-affective domains of the Beck depression Inventory-II (BDI-II; (Beck, Steer & Brown, 1996), and compared these cross-culturally (Egyptians and Canadians), across genders, and across depression statuses (depressed and non-depressed).…”

“…This literature also points to possible differences in symptom reporting patterns between men and women. Using data from a larger dataset (Beshai et al 2016), the current study examined whether non-depressed and depressed Egyptian and Canadian men and women differed in their self-report of the various domains of the Beck Depression Inventory –II (BDI-II).…”