Symptoms and Prevalence
What is the minimum duration for which symptoms must persist for a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) according to DSM-5?
(Two weeks)
What percentage of our genes do we inherit from each parent?
50% from each parent
This psychologist proposed the cognitive theory of depression, which includes faulty information processing, negative self-schemas, and the negative triad.
Aaron Beck
According to Brown & Harris (1978), what major life event was most strongly linked to the onset of depression in women?
Loss of a loved one or a serious difficulty, such as an abusive relationship
What does it mean when a study is correlational?
It shows a relationship between two variables but does not prove causation.
Name at least three cognitive symptoms of MDD
(Frequent negative thoughts, low self-esteem, suicidal ideation, difficulty concentrating, feelings of guilt/worthlessness, etc.)
What is the difference between genotype and phenotype?
According to Beck, people with depression have a tendency to selectively focus on negative aspects of situations while ignoring positive ones. This is known as what?
What is faulty information processing?
What is the vulnerability model of mental illness?
A model that suggests depression develops when risk factors (e.g., stress, childhood trauma) outweigh protective factors (e.g., social support).
Why is reductionism a potential issue in biological explanations of depression?
It oversimplifies depression by focusing only on genes, ignoring cognitive and sociocultural factors.
What is the difference between point prevalence, period prevalence, and lifetime prevalence?
n Kendler et al.’s (2006) twin study, what was the concordance rate for MDD in female MZ twins compared to female DZ twins?
Name the three components of Beck’s Negative Triad.
What are a negative view of the self, a negative view of the world, and a negative view of the future?
What was a key finding of Hays, Turner & Coates (1992) regarding social support and depression among gay men?
Men who had strong social support from other gay men were less likely to develop depression and had a slower progression of HIV-related symptoms.
Explain the concept of niche-picking in gene-environment interactions.
People with a genetic predisposition for depression may seek environments that reinforce their condition (e.g., isolating themselves, choosing stressful careers).
According to WHO, how many people worldwide suffer from depression?
More than 300 million
What did Caspi et al. (2003) discover about the 5-HTT serotonin transporter gene and depression?
People with two short alleles of the 5-HTT gene who experienced three or more stressful life events were more likely to develop depression.
Alloy et al. (1999) conducted a study on negative cognitive styles. What percentage of participants in the high-risk group developed depression within 2.5 years?
17%
Why is it difficult to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between sociocultural factors and depression?
Because studies are often correlational, meaning they show a relationship but do not prove that sociocultural factors directly cause depression.
What are some of the ethical concerns associated with twin studies in psychological research?
Explain why depression is more commonly diagnosed in women than in men. Provide at least two possible explanations.
What is the diathesis-stress model, and how does it explain the interaction between genes and environment in MDD?
The diathesis-stress model suggests that people inherit a genetic predisposition (diathesis) for depression, but environmental stressors must trigger the disorder. It emphasizes the interaction between biological vulnerability and life experiences.
Nolen-Hoeksema (2000) found that this cognitive pattern, characterized by repetitive negative thinking, contributes to the onset of depression and worsens its severity.
What is rumination?
Explain how globalization and media influence the prevalence of depression in different cultures.
How does the diathesis-stress model offer a more holistic understanding of depression compared to purely biological explanations?
It combines biological predisposition (genes) with environmental stressors, acknowledging that depression is not purely genetic but influenced by life experiences.