Brown et al Describe

Question 1

What year was this study?

Answer 1

1985

Question 2

Aim?

Answer 2

To see if a lack of support and low self-esteem are vulnerability factors for depression.

Question 3

What design did the study use and what did this allow for?

Answer 3

The study used a prospective design meaning it was longitudinal and began when the participants were not affected by depression. This allows risk factors to be studied without depression effecting their answers.

Question 4

What did the sample consist of?

Answer 4

Women from Islington, North London, who were all aged 18.50. They had husbands in manual occupations or were single mothers. All of them were working class and had atleast one child living at home.

Question 5

What did the sample consist of?

Answer 5

Women from Islington, North London, who were all aged 18.50. They had husbands in manual occupations or were single mothers. All of them were working class and had atleast one child living at home.

Question 6

How was the sample collected. What sampling method was used?

Answer 6

The women were initially contacted by a latter sent out by their GP. Random sampling was used.

Question 7

How many women were in the original sample?

Answer 7

395

Question 8

What happened in the first phase of research?

Answer 8

In the first phase of the research, measures of self-esteem were taken and the woman’s psychiatric history noted for the 395 women.

Question 9

How long after the first phase did the second phase happen?

Answer 9

One year later.

Question 10

What happened in the second phase of research?

Answer 10

Data was collected about any onset of psychiatric disorder since first contact with the woman. Measures of life event stress and social support were also taken.

Question 11

What method was used to gather evidence in the second phase?

Answer 11

semi-structured interviews were used by experienced interviewers.

Question 12

How many of the original sample in phase one were interviewed in phases two?

Answer 12

Only 303 of the original 395 were tested in phase two.

Question 13

(RESULTS) Out of the 303 women, how many had the onset of depression?

Answer 13

32

Question 14

(RESULTS) Out of those who had the onset of depression, how many had experienced a major life event involving a loss, failure or disappointment six month prior to developing depression?

Answer 14

29 of the 32 who had the onset of depression.

Question 15

(RESULTS) What had a significant effect on the woman’s reaction to the major life events?

Answer 15

Having negative self-esteem.

Question 16

(RESULTS) What women were more vulnerable to depression?

Answer 16

Women that didn’t have core support (from a husband, partner or close relation) were more vulnerable to depression.

Question 17

What did Brown et al conclude?

Answer 17

The conclusion was that low self-esteem and lack of core support were both factors implicated in the onset of depression when a major life event is experienced.