Psychopathology: Depression

Question 1

What is depression

Answer 1

A mental disorder characterised by low mood and low energy levels

Question 2

Outline 2 examples of types of depression

Answer 2

• major depressive disorder - severe by often short term
• persistent depressive disorder - long term/recurring depression

Question 3

Outline the 3 behavioural characteristics of depression

Answer 3

• activity levels - low levels of energy, making people lethargic. But Can have the opposite effect where individual struggle to relax (known as ‘psychomotor agitation’)
• disruption to sleep and eating - sufferer may experience reduced sleep or increased need for sleep
• aggression and self harm - sufferers can become irritable

Question 4

Outline the 3 emotional characteristics of depression

Answer 4

• lowered mood - more pronounced than the daily kind of experience of feeling lethargic and sad
• anger - negative emotions can sometimes lead to aggressive/self harm behaviour
• lowered self esteem - can be extreme with sufferers reporting they loathe themselves

Question 5

Outline the 3 cognitive characteristics of depression

Answer 5

• poor concentration - likely to interfere with the individuals work
• attending to/dwelling on the negative - sufferers have a bias towards recalling unhappy events rather than happy ones
• absolutist thinking - sufferers tend to believe an inconvenience in life is an absolute disaster