The Behavioural, Emotional And Cognitive Characteristics Of Depression
March 5, 2021 - Paper 1 Introductory Topics in Psychology | Psychopathology
Description, AO1:
Depression Behavioural, Emotional and Social Characteristics
Depression is classified as a mood disorder. DSM-V distinguishes between major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder which is long term and/or recurring.
Behavioural Symptoms/Characteristics of Depression:
| Shift in activity levels | Individuals may see a reduction or increase in their activities. Many individuals experience reduced energy levels, a sense of tiredness and a need to sleep all of the time. Some become increasingly agitated and restless and may pace around the room. |
| Sleep | Some individual sleep more whilst other individuals sleep less. |
| Appetite | There is a great variation in this factor, some individuals eat more whilst others eat less. |
Emotional Symptoms/Characteristics of Depression:
| Formal diagnosis | A formal diagnosis requires that an individual holds five symptoms of depression which must include either sadness or loss of interest and pleasure in normal activities. |
| Sadness | A very common feeling associated amongst depression sufferers (along with feelings of emptiness). People may feel worthless, hopeless, have low-self-esteem (generally suffer from negative emotions). |
| Loss of interest/pleasure | In usual hobbies and activities. Such behaviour is often associated with the feeling of losing control. |
| Anger | Directed towards others or turned inwards on the self. |
Cognitive Symptoms/Characteristics of Depression:
| Negative self-concept | An individual may feel guilt or that they are worthless/don’t matter. |
| Negative view of the world | An expectation that things are always going to turn out badly rather than positively. |
| Negative view of the future | Depression sufferers believe that negative situations are never going to change. |
There are many psychological and biological explanations of depression however, as part of the AQA Psychology A level specification the requirement is that students can explain depression from a Cognitive perspective. Click here to learn about the Cognitive Explanation of depression.
Click here to learn how Cognitive psychologists would treat depression.
