Etiology of Major Depressive Disorder

What does ‘etiology’ mean? Etiology is the cause or origin of a disease However, it is more realistic to say that there are ‘contributing factors’ to depression rather then causes.

There are a number of contributing factors to Major Depressive Disorder; the risk of suffering from the disorder increases with each risk factor. Work in pairs (don’t look at your text books), and think of at least 6 factors you think may contribute to depression.

In IB Psychology we’ll examine the etiologies of Major Depressive Disorder in terms of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural factors. It is important to remember that these factors do not occur independently; they interact with each other.

Biological Factors contributing to Major Depressive Disorders Genes Hormone imbalances Neurotransmitter imbalances Poor diet Lack of proper exercise Chronic illness or the presence of another mental disorder Techno-brain burnout (Small & Vorgan, 2008) Under-stimulation of effort-driven rewards system (Lambert, 2008)

Cognitive Factors contributing to Major Depressive Disorders Cognitive style Negative attribution style

Sociocultural Factors contributing to Major Depressive Disorders Low self-efficacy Marital problems Parental maltreatment Poverty Descrimination and prejudice War Social class Grieving a loss Aging population Natural disasters Increased urbanisation Media messages Lack of social support Spirits and other culturally based community causes There are many others