Depression

Question 1

Describe appearance and behaviour of someone with depression.

Answer 1

decreased eye contact
limited gesturing
furrowed brow, decreased facial expression
rapport difficult to establish

Question 2

Describe the speech of someone with depression.

Answer 2

decreased rate of speech 
lowered in pitch, decreased volume 
monotone 
increased speech latencies (longer time between end of question and them responding)
limited content

Question 3

Describe the mood and affect of someone with depression.

Answer 3

limited reactivity 
decreased range of mood 
low mood/depressed 
'flat', 'empty', 'black'
low, miserable, unhappy

Question 4

Describe the thought of someone with depression.

Answer 4

flow - slow and pondering
form - typically normal
content - pessimism, low self esteem, negative, self accusatory, failure, guilt
delusions of guilt, poverty, nihilism, hypochondriasis
paranoia

Question 5

Describe the perception of someone with depression.

Answer 5

hallucinations - almost always auditory
negative, depressive themes
usually second person and derogatory e.g. you’re a bad person and you deserve to die

Question 6

Describe the cognition of someone with depression.

Answer 6

‘pseudo dementia’
slow with complaints of poor memory - usually due to inattention
deficits in planning, working memory and attention

Question 7

Describe the insight of someone with depression.

Answer 7

typically preserved - usually aware of symptoms and that theres something wrong
attribution - can be affected (symptoms blamed on sins, physical illness, personal failings, weakness)

Question 8

What are the diagnostic criteria for depression?

Answer 8

more than 2 weeks
clearly abnormal for the person
interferes significantly with normal function
core symptoms and additional features for mild, moderate, severe

Question 9

How many symptoms for mild depression?

Answer 9

core symptoms

plus at least 1 additional feature

Question 10

How many symptoms for moderate depression?

Answer 10

2 or 3 core features

plus at least 3 additional features

Question 11

How many symptoms for severe depression?

Answer 11

3/3 core features

plus 5 additional symptoms

Question 12

What are the 3 core features of depression?

Answer 12

low mood (abnormal for patient, affects life significantly)
loss of interest or pleasure in things they normally enjoy 
decreased energy levels

Question 13

What are the additional features of depression?

Answer 13

• loss of confidence
• unreasonable feelings of guilt or self reproach
• suicidal thoughts or behaviour
• decreased concentration
• agitation or retardation
• sleep disturbance
• appetite change

Question 14

How is depression diagnosed?

Answer 14

clinical diagnosis - ICD 10 criteria