1. Major Depression
By Mr Daniel Hansson

2. Major Depression
Symptoms
Prevalence
Etiology
Evaluation
Conclusion

3. Symptoms (DSM-IV-TR)
Affective: Feelings of guilt and sadness, lack of enjoyment or pleasure in familiar activities or company
Behavioural: Passivity, lack of initiative
Cognitive: Frequent negative thoughts, faulty attribution of blame, low self esteem, suicidal thoughts, irrational hopelessness, difficulties in concentration and inability to make decisions
Somatic: Loss of energy, insomnia, or hypersomnia, weight loss/gain, diminished sex drive

4. Symptoms One or two major depressive episodes
At least two weeks of depressed mood or loss of interest accompanied with at least four additional symptoms of depression

5. Prevalence
Life time prevalence for the disorder: Women – 10-25% Men – 5-12%
The average age to have the first major depression: Mid 20s
The onset age is decreasing
One episode: 60 % of a second
Two or three episodes: % of a following episode
One year after diagnosis: 40 % are free of symptoms, 20 % have some symptoms, 40 % meet full criteria of the disorder

6. Prevalence More common in individualistic than collectivistic cultures
Seattle, Washington: 6.3 %
China: 4 %
Verona, Italy: 4.7 %
Groningen, Germany: 15.9 %
Manchester, United Kingdom: 16.9 %
Ankara, Turkey: 11.6 %
Nagasaki, Japan: 2.6 %

7. Etiology
Biological
Cognitive
Sociocultural

8. Biological Genetic and biochemical factors in depression
E.g. Caspi (2003), Lykken & Tellegen (1996)

9. Cognitive A depressed mood may lead to depressed thoughts
Depressed cognitions, cognitive distortions, and irrational beliefs produce disturbances in mood
E.g. Goldapple (2004), Lyon & Woods (1991)

10. Sociocultural
Social and cultural factors affect the prevalence and manifestation of the disorder
E.g. Harris (1978), Cutrona, Wallace, & Wesner (2006)

11. Evaluation +Can be used for therapy +Supporting research
-Methodological problems with research
-Simplistic: Each perspective emphasizes one factor

12. Conclusion
An interactionistic explanation of major depressive disorder is preferable, e.g. the diathesis-stress model or the biopsychosocial model