Depression

Question 1

BDI

Answer 1

Beck Depression Inventory is a 21-item self-report that assesses attitudes and symptoms of depression. Each item in the inventory consists of at least four statements, of which the person taking the test must choose the one that best fits how they have been feeling during a recent period of time(may be the past week or two weeks). Items are related to the known symptoms of depression; feelings of guilt and hopelessness and physiological symptoms such as fatigue and weight loss. Score: 10 being the minimum for diagnosing mild depression, 19-29 moderate depression, 30 or more indicating severe depression.

Question 2

Oruc(1997)

Answer 2

42 participants, 31-70 years of age with a diagnosis of bipolar depression; drawn from two psychiatric hospitals in Croatia. A control group of 40 participants with no personal or family history of mental health disorders.
Sixteen of the bipolar group also had at least one first degree relative who had been diagnosed with a major affective disorder such as bipolar. (Diagnosis was confirmed by medical records) DNA testing was carried out with participants to test for polymorphisms in serotonin receptor 2c and the serotonin transporter genes.
Results showed no significant associations in the sample. However, when analyzed separated by gender, trends for association with both polymorphisms in female participants were observed.

Question 3

Beck (1979)

Answer 3

Depression is due to the underlying process of incorrect information processing. Cognitive distortion is an automatic process which develops as a result of earlier life experiences, through developing schemas. Beck’s cognitive triad of depression: Negative views about oneself-Negative views about the world-Negative views about the future-(back to oneself…)

Question 4

Seligman(1988)

Answer 4

Learned helplessness and attribution style. Depression is a direct result of a real or perceived lack of control over the outcome of one’s situation. People who perceive a lack of control over negative events in their lives (learned helplessness) will be more inclined towards a negative attributional style.
Seligman investigated 39 patients with unipolar depression and 12 patients with bipolar disorder. All the participants included a mix of genders, mean age-36. Control group-10 participants. At first, they completed BDI to assess severity of symptoms. Then they completed an Attributional Style Questionnaire consisting of 12 hypothetical questions. Both bipolar and unipolar participants were found to have more pessimistic, negative attributional styles than the non-patient control group.
The more severe the depression score on the BDI, the worse the pessimism on the Attributional Style Questionnaire.

Question 5

Beck(1979)

Answer 5

Cognitive restructuring. Taking therapy. Explains the theory of depression on the patient; explain how cognitive triad works is intended to help the patient understand that their way of thinking about themselves and the world contributes to his or her depression; train the patient to observe and record their thoughts, recognize irrational or inaccurate beliefs and statements.

Question 6

Ellis(1962)

Answer 6

A person becomes depressed as a result of internal constructions; because of their perceptions and attitudes towards things that happen to them in their lives.

RECT-???

Question 7

Amsterdam (2002)

Answer 7

???