Summary IB Abnormal Psychology - Etiologies of Depression.
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Course
IB Psychology
Institution
Sixth Year / 12th Grade
A detailed summary of the theories for the cause of depression that includes A,M,R,C summaries of supporting research as well as critical analysis points for use in the IB Psychology P2
Prevalence: Statistical concept referring to the number of cases of a disease that are present in a particular
population at a given time. However prevelance rates can be swayed by reporintg bias and general mental health
awarness rather than legiamte greater incidinces so does not give full picture of depression prevelence
Cultural/Gender Differences in Depression Prevalence ERQ
Gender Differences in Depression:
Research consistently shows more women than men are depressed but there are multiple
theories as to why
Argument Evidence
Women are exposed to more ● See: Brown & Harris Key Study on vulnerability factors for MDD in
sociocultural risk factors British women
● The stress of being a mother without marital support and adequate
financial resources increase the vulnerability of depression → this social
risk factor is usually associated with mothers perhaps because they take
on a greater parenting role
● Also looks at stress factors related to the greater parenting and economic
role women are expected to take in modern society which relates to
another poetnail cause for higher depression in women is that they are
under more stress due to the multiple roles they have to fulfill
● For men may just be different kinds of risk factors → little research done
with male samples
Cognitive Coping Styles ● Women are more likely to amplify depression by ruminating on their feelings
and its causes (However the study applies to all people who ruminate more,
regardless of gender)
● Nolen-Hoeksema (2000) found that both men and women who ruminate more
following the loss of loved ones or when feeling sad are more likely to become
depressed and to suffer longer and more severe depression than those who
ruminate less.
● Nolen-Hoesma outline 3 risk factors that adolescent girls are more
susceptible to
- Girls are less assertive → (score lower on leadership ability
questionnaire)
- Girls are more likely to cope by ruminating → (this coping style
predicts the onset of depression)
- Girls are less dominant in groups → (less verbally and physically
aggressive)
Cultural Prevalence
- There are differences in the prevalence rates of depression in different parts of the world, with
most data showing that depression prevalence is higher in western countries (Europe and
, North-America) and is least common in Asia and Asia-Pacific.
- This could be due to different cultural attributes such as differences in individualism where
society prioritises self-reliance and freedom and collectivism community interdependence.
- However difficult to determine the prevalence of depression due to a lack of centralised data
on psychological disorders in many countries
Chio & Bilinsky
Aim Varying rates of depression in different parts of the world with different cultures might be explained by
the coevolution of individualism-collectivism and the 5-HTT serotonin transporter gene.
Method and Conducted a meta-analysis of comparing rates of depression with both individualism-collectivism and
participants genetic variations of the 5HTT gene
Results ● East Asians carried the Short-Short alleles of 5HTT gene at twice the rate of Europeans and
North Americans, yet suffered half the prevalence rates of depression and anxiety.
● Theorised that the mismatch might be explained by cultural factors. They investigated the
cultural dimension of individualism-collectivism and correlated it with the serotonin
transporter gene, rates of anxiety and rates of depression.
Conclusions ● Global variations in the prevalence of depression might be explained through a combination of
genetic factors and culture.
● Collectivism may have developed in East Asia because of shorter variants of the serotonin
transporter gene known as a "sensitivity gene” making the population at large more socially
sensitive and creating a supportive culture that acts as a buffer against depression
Critical + Supported by the theory of epigenetics as culture and genes have to influence over each other
Thinking + A more holistic approach to understanding depression by combining approaches
- However don’t know which came first S-S allele of 5HTT or collectivism
MAGEC - Variations in the global prevalence of depression can be explained by other factors too,
including unemployment, low income, income inequality, disease, conflict and age
BIOLOGICAL AETIOLOGY OF DEPRESSION
Being psychologically abnormal is like having a physical illness; there is an underlying physical
cause that produces psychological and behavioural symptoms. Hence, illness can be treated by
medication.
Neurotransmitters + Smith et al (1997) Tryptophan Depletion Study
Theory:
Depression has been linked to neurotransmitter imbalances in the brain, specifically with the neurotransmitters serotonin,
Serotonin, in particular, is involved with mood, bodily functions and behaviours affected by MDD. Most support for
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