Etiologies of disorders

• Symptomology of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD):


  • Persistent sad mood
  • Loss of interest in activities
  • Changes in appetite and sleep patterns
  • Fatigue
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
  • Thoughts of death or suicide
• Biological:

  • Neurotransmitter imbalances (e.g., serotonin, norepinephrine)
  • Genetic predisposition
  • Hormonal imbalances
• Cognitive:


  • Negative thought patterns and beliefs
  • Cognitive distortions (e.g., overgeneralization, catastrophizing)
  • Learned helplessness
• Sociocultural:


  • Stressful life events
  • Childhood trauma or adversity
  • Cultural factors (e.g., societal pressure, stigma)
• Prevalence of MDD: 


  Approximately 7% of adults in the United States experience MDD in a given year.
•  Multifaceted Etiologies


  Psychological disorders arise from a complex interplay of:

  • Biological factors
  • Cognitive factors
  • Sociocultural factors
• Prevalence Rates


  Prevalence rates provide insight into the frequency of disorders within a population. Key points include:

  • Rates are not universal
  • They can change over time
  • They may vary across different demographics
• The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that:


  • 1 in 15 people in Europe suffer from major depression
  • Nearly 4 in 15 people are affected when including anxiety and all forms of depression
  • Approximately 350 million people worldwide are affected by depression
• Importance of Studying Mental Disorders

  Mental health disorders are a leading cause of disability worldwide, making their study crucial for:

  • Developing appropriate treatments
  • Creating effective interventions
  • Understanding why some people develop these disorders
• Diagnostic Approach


  • Clinicians use diagnostic manuals (e.g., DSM-V) to identify symptoms
  • Symptomology refers to common behaviors and physiological signs of mental illness
  • Etiology focuses on the causes of disorders, which are often complex and multifaceted
• Disorder Classifications

  The IB course focuses on disorders from the following DSM-V classifications:

  • Anxiety disorders
  • Depressive disorders
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
  • Trauma and stress-related disorders
  • Eating disorders
• Understanding Prevalence Rates


  Prevalence rates are more complex than they might initially appear:

  • They represent the total number of cases in a given population
  • Rates can vary based on cultural, socioeconomic, and gender differences
• Types of Prevalence


  • Point prevalence: Proportion of a population that has the condition at a specific point in time
  • Lifetime prevalence: Proportion of a population that at some point in their life has experienced the disorder