Depression

• What type of disorder is depression classified as?

  Mood disorder
• How is depression characterized?

  Lowered mood
• What percentage of people will suffer from depression?

  Approximately 10%
• What does the DSM-5 distinguish between in depression?

  Major and persistent depressive disorders
• What is major depressive disorder?

  Short-term depressive episode
• What is persistent depressive disorder?

  Long-term or recurring depression
• What are the main characteristics of depression?

  • Cognitive characteristics
  • Emotional characteristics
  • Behavioural characteristics
• What are the two main cognitive characteristics of depression?

  Negative thinking and poor concentration
• What is a key aspect of negative thinking in depression?

  Negative view of the world
• How do sufferers of depression recall events?

  More likely to recall negative events
• What are the three main emotional characteristics of depression?

  Low mood, low self-esteem, anger
• How do sufferers describe their low mood?

  Feeling sad, empty, and hopeless
• What happens to self-esteem in depression?

  It tends to lower
• What extreme feeling might some sufferers of depression experience?

  Sense of self-loathing
• Who can the anger in depression be directed towards?

  Self or others
• What can extreme anger in depression lead to?

  Self-harming or aggressive behavior
• What are the three main behavioural characteristics of depression?

  • Change in activity level
  • Change in sleeping patterns
  • Change in appetite
  • interfere with normal routines and relationships and have detrimental effect on quality of life
• How can activity levels change in depression?

  They can decrease or increase
• What is psychomotor retardation?

  Reduced energy and lethargy
• What can severe lethargy in depression lead to?

  Inability to get out of bed
• What is psychomotor agitation?

  Increased energy and restlessness
• What sleeping pattern changes might sufferers experience?

  Insomnia or hypersomnia
• How can appetite change in depression?

  It can decrease or increase
• What can changes in appetite lead to?

  Weight loss or weight gain
• What does the cognitive approach suggest about the cause of depression?

  Faulty thinking
• What are the two cognitive explanations of depression?

  • Ellis’ ABC Model
  • Beck’s Negative Triad
• Who proposed the ABC model of depression?

  Ellis
• What does Ellis believe causes depression?

  Irrational thinking
• What does the ABC model illustrate?

  The relationship between events, beliefs, and consequences
• What does 'A' stand for in Ellis' ABC Model?

  Activating event
• What does 'B' stand for in Ellis' ABC Model?

  Belief
• What does 'C' stand for in Ellis' ABC Model?

  Consequence
• How do negative activating events affect beliefs according to Ellis' model?

  They can trigger rational or irrational beliefs
• What are the consequences of rational beliefs?

  Healthy emotional and behavioral outcomes
• What are the consequences of irrational beliefs?

  Unhealthy emotional and behavioral outcomes
• How does Ellis define irrational beliefs?

  Beliefs that interfere with our happiness
• How do rational and irrational beliefs differ in their consequences?

  Rational beliefs lead to healthy outcomes, irrational to unhealthy
• What is a strength of Ellis's ABC model

  Strength = Ellis’ ABC model led --> development of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). CBT = treatment for depression, + involves patient identifying + changing their irrational beliefs. Is an array of research evidence supporting effectiveness of CBT --> supports the ABC model as it suggests that irrational beliefs have a role in depression.
• What is a weakness of Ellis' ABC model

  Weakness = Ellis’ ABC model = only partial explanation for depression. Some cases of depression do arise following negative activating events, (Called reactive depression) and psychologists see it as different from depression that arises without any obvious cause (endogenous depression). Ellis’ ABC model --> therefore only applies to some forms of depression + does not offer a complete explanation for the disorder.
• What is Beck's Negative Triad associated with?

  Depression and negative thinking patterns