Psychopathology - Behavioural, Emotional + Cognitive Characteristics Of Depression

Question 1

Diagnosis of depression

Answer 1

• at least 5 symptoms every day for 2 weeks
• symptoms include sadness/ loss of interest + pleasure in normal activities
• will show impairment in general functioning which hasn’t been caused by other events e.g. death of a loved one

Question 2

Behavioural characteristics of depression

Answer 2

Shift in energy levels, social impairment, weight changes, poor personal hygiene, sleep pattern disturbance, aggression and self harm

Question 3

Shift in energy levels

Answer 3

• reduced amount of energy = fatigue, lethargy + high levels of inactivity.
• can withdraw from work/education/social life
• psychomotor agitationn

Question 4

Psychomotor agitation

Answer 4

• may have high amount of nervous energy = agitated + restless
• may pace around, wring their hands + tear at their skin

Question 5

Social impairment

Answer 5

• reduced levels of social interactions w friends + relations = distance themselves

Question 6

Weight changes

Answer 6

• significant increase / decrease in weight
• can eat a lot or have reduced appetite and eat very little

Question 7

Poor personal hygiene

Answer 7

• often have reduced incidence of washing + wearing clean clothes

Question 8

Sleep pattern disturbance

Answer 8

• constant insomnia or hypersomnia

Question 9

Insomnia

Answer 9

Difficulty falling asleep

Question 10

Hypersomnia

Answer 10

Require large amounts of sleep

Question 11

Aggression + self harm

Answer 11

• often irritable + can become physically + verbally aggressive
• e.g. quitting job impulsively + cutting themselves /attempted suicide

Question 12

Emotional characteristics

Answer 12

Loss of enthusiasm, constant depressed mood, worthlessness, anger

Question 13

Loss of enthusiasm

Answer 13

• lessened concern + lack of pleasure in daily activities

Question 14

constant depressed mood

Answer 14

• ever present + overwhelming feelings of sadness/hopelessness + feeling empty

Question 15

Worthlessness

Answer 15

• very low self esteem + feeling of reduced worth

Question 16

Anger

Answer 16

• anger towards others or the self (self harm)
• hurt and want to retaliate

Question 17

Cognitive characteristics

Answer 17

Delusions, reduced concentration, thoughts of death, poor memory, negative thinking, absolutist thinking

Question 18

Delusions

Answer 18

• delusions = generally concerning guilt, punishment, personal inadequacy or disease
• Hallucinations = auditory, visual, olfactory (smell), haptic (touch)

Question 19

Reduced concentration

Answer 19

• difficult maintaining attention
• slower thought processes than normal + difficult making decisions
• interfere with ability to do job

Question 20

Thoughts of death

Answer 20

Constant death/suicide thoughts = believe world would be better without them + might make plans to end their life

Question 21

Poor memory

Answer 21

• trouble retrieving memories + memory might be very poor in general

Question 22

Negative thinking

Answer 22

• negative view of world = expect things will be bad than good
• negative expectations of everything
• leads to self fulfilling prophecy

Question 23

Self fulfilling prophecy

Answer 23

• If you expect negative things to happen, they will
• Positive factors will be ignored = cognitive bias

Question 24

Absolutists thinking

Answer 24

• completely negative thinking even if situations were semi good. Only look at bad things