A01

• What is depression?

  A mood disorder where an individual feels sad and lacks interest in their usual activities
• What are the two major diagnostic criteria for depression?

  1. Extreme feelings of persistent sadness

  2. Loss of pleasure in normal activities
• List and outline the four categories of depression recognised by the DSM-5


  1. Major depressive disorder - severe but often short-term depression

  2. Persistent depressive disorder - long-term or recurring depression

  3. Disrupted mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD) - childhood temper tantrums and chronic irritability

  4. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) - disruption to mood prior to and/or during menstruation
• State three behavioural characteristics of depression

  1. Shift in activity level

  2. Disruption to sleep and eating patterns

  3. Aggression and self-harm
• State three emotional characteristics of depression

  1. Low mood

  2. Anger

  3. Lowered self-esteem
• State three cognitive characteristics of depression

  1. Poor concentration

  2. Negative schema

  3. 'Black and white' thinking
• Expecting things to turn out badly due to focusing on negative aspects of situation rather than positive is an example of which characteristic of depression?

  Negative schema
• Explain how a person's activity level can change if they have depression

  - Become lethargic = reduced energy levels

  - Experience psychomotor agitation = increased energy levels (person is irritable and unable to relax)
• Explain how a person's sleeping pattern can change if they have depression

  - Insomnia = reduced sleep by making it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep

  - Hypersomnia = increased need to sleep / excessive sleepiness