Please enable JavaScript.

Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.

Task 8: Depression (Theories behind depression (1. Original Cognitive…

- - - - These dysfunctional attitudes are embedded within cognitive structures (schemas) and when they are activated by events, they skew the information processing system. It directs attention to negative stimuli => distortion
      - Global negative perception of reality that leads to other symptoms of depression which are subjected to negative evaluation
    - - Cognitive vulnerability - adverse early life experiences contribute to the formation of dysfunctional attitudes (incorporated in schemas)
      - Cognitive reactivity - when schemas are activated by daily life events, they produce an attentional bias (negative representations and mild depressive symptoms). The presence of cognitive reactivity before a stressful event predicts the onset of depressive episodes.
      - Cognitive mode - after schemas are activated repeatedly they become organised into a depressive mode (which includes affective behavioural and motivational schemas). = fully expressed depression-related symptoms
      - Hyper-salient mode - negative events are accumulated and the hyper-salient mode takes control of information processing (rumination and negative appraisal) = becomes automatic without the trigger from external stimuli. Attention is now located into internal experience and coping is not possible anymore.
      - Cognitive control - negatively biased cognitive schemas function as automatic processes. The dominance of the system that is maladaptive accounts for negative attentional and interpretational bias.
      - These five processes culminate in clinical depression
    - - Individuals possessing either one or two copies of the short variance of the 5-HTTLPR (serotonin transporter) gene, experienced higher levels of depression and suicidality following a recent life stressor. Genetic predisposition to depression is associated with biases in the processing of information.
      - Hyperactivity of the amygdala of the individual with the 5-HTTLPR short variant - there is an increase in sensitivity to negative stimuli and negative bias in the processing or interpretation of emotional stimuli.
      - Expectancy of aversive events
      - HPA axis secretion of excessive stress hormone (cortisol)
      - Two concurrent processes (emotional processing) - diminished cognitive control from prefrontal and cingulate regions and increased activity in the amygdala and other regions
      - This is a proposed phenomenon of depression
- - - - Method:
        -tested adolescent women at high risk for affective disorders
        (15-19 years old) at high risk for developing an initial episode of depression.
        -used the goal adjustment scale / self-report questionnaire measured participant´s general goal disengagement and goal reengagement capacities.
        -computed change scores of goal disengagement capacities and goal reengagement capacities to examine whether increased levels of goal adjustment capacities predict subsequent levels of depressive symptoms.
        -depressive symptoms were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory
      - Results:
        1) symptoms of depression are likely to have some adaptive value, at least for the development of self-regulatory capacities
        2) When key life goals become unattainable, the depressive mood can facilitate the most adaptive response for mental and physical health - withdraw effort and commitment from pursuing these goals. => Withdrawal has been interpreted as detrimental to success and quality of life in the western culture, but now evolutionary and personality psychologists focus on the adaptive value of negative emotions.
  - - - A complex problem is an analytically difficult problem. Sad or depressed mood promote an analytical reasoning style, greater attention is paid to detail and information is processed more slowly, methodically. => social dilemma, hopelessness & therapy (help people solve problems)
      - Claim 1: complex problems that influence important fitness-related goals trigger depressed affect.
    - - Claim 2: depression coordinates a suite of changes in body systems that promote rumination, the evolved function of which is to analyse the triggering problem.
      - High overload in Working Memory while analysing complex problems => Requires greater cognitive control (VLPFC activity). The activity of VLPC is sustained and it is responsible for making this rumination intrusive, persistent, resistant to disruption and difficult to suppress.
    - - Claim 3: over evolutionary time, depressive rumination often helped people solve the problems that triggered their episodes.
      - because processing resources are limited, a decreased ability to concentrate on other things is a necessary trade-off that has to be made in order to sustain analysis of a complex problem
        
        Caution is adaptive, this is due to their increase in sad affect. Because of the caution, most of the time they can make better decisions. Depressed people take time, and are more conservative in their decisions and approach to the problem.