Explaining An Affective Disorder

Question 1

What was the aim of Lewinsohn?

Answer 1

To compare the amount of ‘positive reinforcement’ received by depressed and non-depressed pps.

Question 2

What was the method used in Lewinsohn?

Answer 2

Longitudinal, over 30 days, pps completed self-report of pleasant activities on the pleasant events schedule. Self-rating of depressed using the depression adjective checklist.

Question 3

Who were the pps in Lewinsohn?

Answer 3

30 participants, diagnosed with depression, disorder other than depression, normal control group

Question 4

What was the design used in Lewinsohn?

Answer 4

Independent measures, quasi

Question 5

What was the procedure in Lewinsohn?

Answer 5

Pps checked mood daily via depression adjective checklist, included emotions, eg happy, active. Ticket answer.
Then completed a pleasant activity scale, rating 320 activities, eg talking about sport, yoga. Rated 2 times in scale of 3, 1 pleasantness, 1 frequency. Seen as pos reinforcement.

Question 5

What were the results in Lewinsohn?

Answer 5

Significant pos correlation between mood ratings pleasant activities.
Involvement in more pleasant activities being correlated with more pos mood ratings.

Question 6

What was the conclusion in Lewinsohn?

Answer 6

Appears to be a link between reinforcement from pleasant activities and mood. Further research needed to identify the individual characteristics that makes someone more influenced by pleasant activities than others.

Question 7

What was the aim of Wender?

Answer 7

Investigate contribution of genetic and environment factors in the aetiology of mood disorders

Question 8

Who were the pps in Wender?

Answer 8

Adopted and biological relatives of 71 adult adoptees, mean age 43.7 who had a mood disorder

Plus 71 adults adoptees with a mean age of 44, psychologically normal. Adults removed from mothers at an early age.

Question 9

What was the procedure in Wender?

Answer 9

Psychiatric evaluations of the relatives, made by independent blind diagnoses of mental hospital and other official records

Question 10

What were the results in Wender?

Answer 10

An 8 fold increase in unipolar depression among biological relatives of the adults.
15 fold increase in suicide among biological relatives of adopted adults

Question 11

What was the conclusion in Wender?

Answer 11

There is a significant genetic link between unipolar depression and suicide

Question 12

What is the aim of Beck?

Answer 12

To understand cognitive distort ions in patients with depression

Question 13

What was the method in Beck?

Answer 13

Clinical interviews with patients undergoing therapy for depression

Question 14

What was the design in Beck?

Answer 14

Independent measures design, comparison with 31 non-depressed patients

Question 15

Who were the pps in Beck?

Answer 15

50 with depression, 16 males, 34 females.
Ages 18-46
Middle-upper class
Average intelligence at least

Question 16

What was the procedure for Beck?

Answer 16

Face to face interviews, reports of patients thoughts before and during sessions.
Diaries were kept, bought to lessons

Question 17

What were the results in Beck?

Answer 17

Themes in depressed vs non= low self-esteem, self-blame, overwhelming responsibilities, desire to escape, anxiety, paranoia.

Often regarded themselves as inferior, having stereotypical response to situations

Question 18

What was the conclusion in Beck?

Answer 18

Patients showed cognitive distortions that differed from logical and realistic thinking. Only related to depressions and no other disorders