Etiology of Major Depressive Disorder

1. Etiology of Major Depressive Disorder

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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)

6. Cognitive Factors contributing to Major Depressive Disorders • Cognitive style • Negative attribution style

7. 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