M.A. (Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.A. (Clinical Psychology) / This research was undertaken in an attempt to validate the hypotheses that depression reported after coronary artery bypass grafting could be attributed to cognitive distortion, learned helplessness and loss of appropriate social reinforcement. Thirty subjects from the J.G. Strijdom Hospital in Johannesburg were randomly selected from a population of 80 patients who had undergone their first coronary artery bypass graft and assessed for depression and the related dimensions of the hypotheses. Mood was also assessed. On the basis of Beck Depression Inventory scores, 17 subjects were divided into experimental and control groups of depressed and non- depressed patients. The differences between the two groups were then compared. Overall, no support was found for the learned helplessness, cognitive distortion or loss of social reinforcement hypotheses, although fatigue, sadness and egotism were found to be the most significant differences between depressed and non-depressed post-operative patients. Contrary to indications in the literature, only 40 percent of patients in this study were found to be clinically depressed. The findings of this research may be seen to offer support for the "coronary-prone Behaviour" hypothesis, suggesting post-operative psychotherapeutic programmes for coronary artery bypass graft patients should address themselves to changing the behavioural styles of these patients both pre- and post-operatively.

The treatment of Depressive Disorders in patients with chronic comorbid disease states warrants careful consideration of the risk-benefit ratio pertaining to the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics of the antidepressant being considered, against the physiological susceptibilities of the patient; potential drug-drug interactions and depressive symptoms. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Depressive Disorders and the most frequently diagnosed chronic comorbid disease states in a depressed South African study population; and to comment on the appropriateness of antidepressants prescribed to these patients. This retrospective drug utilisation study consisted of two parts: the first part focused on the prevalence of the most frequently diagnosed chronic comorbidities in a depressed South African population (N = 21 171). The three most prevalent chronic comorbid disease states were Hypertension (52.87 percent), Lipid Disorders (20.40 percent) and Arthritis (16.70 percent). The second part of the study included an assessment of the antidepressants prescribed to depressed patients in 2004 (N = 6 150). Emphasis was placed on the suitability of antidepressants selected for depressed adult patients (18 years of age and older) with comorbid Hypertension, Lipid Disorders or Arthritis. SSRIs were prescribed most frequently to the depressed patients during 2004 (59.67 percent). SSRIs are the suggested first-line treatments for depressed patients with multiple chronic comorbid disease states. However, of the SSRIs, fluoxetine has the least favourable pharmacokinetic profile and was found to be the antidepressant prescribed most often. Amitriptyline, which was the TCA prescribed most frequently, produces the greatest degree of anticholinergic, sedative and hypotensive effects, relative to other agents in the same antidepressant class. Thus, it is not recommended as a first-line antidepressant, especially in depressed patients with comorbidities. This study identifies potential areas of intervention regarding antidepressant prescribing in depressed individuals with chronic comorbid disease states and offers recommendations to promote the selection of optimal, individualised drug treatment strategies for these patients.

Adolescents may be particularly vulnerable to depression. Yet Public health nurses working with large groups of adolescents are often unable to recognize depressed youths due to the lack of simple, reliable screening tools. This exploratory study was undertaken in order to gain information that could be used to develop such a tool. Specifically, the following question was posed: 'Are there modes of relating interpersonally that can be used to distinguish the highly and moderately depressed adolescent from the non-depressed adolescent?' The answer was sought from information obtained from adolescent self-reports on Beck's Depression Inventory and an adapted and pre-tested form of McNair and Lorr's Interpersonal Behavior Inventory. These inventories were administered to twenty-five adolescents who attended a treatment centre for adolescents with emotional problems and seventy seven randomly selected adolescents who attended four Catholic high schools in Greater Vancouver. Adolescents were classified as non-depressed, moderately depressed and highly depressed on the basis of their scores on Beck's Depression Inventory. An analysis of variance was carried out to discover if there was a significant difference in interpersonal behavior scores of non-depressed, moderately depressed and highly depressed adolescents. A simple regression analysis and a multiple step-wise regression analysis was done to see if there was a significant correlation between any interpersonal behavior categories that could distinguish between the non-depressed, moderately depressed, and highly depressed adolescent. The findings supported the overall conclusion: adolescents who exhibit mistrust, competition and detachment most of the time or all of the time and exhibit dominance only some of the time or not all all, may be moderately or highly depressed adolescents. The findings did not support the generally held thesis that suppressed hostility is an important factor in the depressed person. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate

A fundamental assumption underlying any interpersonal model of depression is that depressed social behaviour evokes a predictable response from others that in turn contributes to depression. Whereas most recent research has focused on the response that the depressed elicit in others, the present study examined the social impact of that response. The central premise of interpersonal models of depression can be expressed more precisely in terms of interpersonal circumplex complementarity theory: The hostile-submissive quality that has been reported in depressed behaviour evokes a complementary response from others (labelled RD). That response, in turn, evokes more hostility and submissiveness in the depressed, thus perpetuating the cycle. To have clinical relevance, RD would also be expected to induce relatively negative mood. Predictions regarding possible intrapersonal mediating variables were derived from critics and proponents of cognitive models of depression. After initial mood was assessed, each of 12 0 female subjects was shown a videotape depicting either RD or a control condition. Each subject then completed questionnaires assessing mood, her perceptions of what she would be like in the company of the person she had watched, and the social impact of the person she had watched. It was predicted that, compared to the control group, a) subjects exposed to RD would show more negative mood, b) they would anticipate that they would be more hostile and submissive in the company of the person they saw, and c) RD would impact as the interpersonal complement of hostility-submission, whether according to the traditional model of interpersonal complementarity or a facet analytic approach. These three predictions were borne out and the facet analytic prediction was supported. Further predictions that preexisting depressive symptoms and cognitions would correlate with mood and social acceptance for experimental group subjects were not supported. Methodological and theoretical implications are discussed. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

M.A. (Clinical Psychology) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Clinical Psychology) in the Department of Psychology University of Zululand, 2005. / There is an increasing international need for additional interventions to be established that prevent mental illness and promote mental health. This study set out to investigate the impact of exercise as a treatment option for depression and low levels of psychological well-being over a two-month period. A comprehensive literature review examining previous studies using exercise as a treatment approach for depression and psychological well-being formed a foundation from which this study could be based. The design of this study used both a quantitative and qualitative approach. Data was collected through standardized questionnaires and completed pre and post-test by forty participants randomly assigned to an experimental and control group. Additional data was attained through two open-ended questions given to participants in the experimental group. The quantitative results were not statistically significant however did indicate clear trends towards positive changes in certain variables. These results in conjunction with the qualitative findings suggested that exercise does have a positive impact on depression and psychological well-being.

No description available.

This study explored whether depression is stigmatized, and whether these perceptions of depression vary by gender, a person’s own experience with depression, or knowing other people with depression. These questions were examined through the use of an online survey, which included questions measuring demographics, personal history of depression, tolerance of depression, and stigma toward depression. Responses from 106 participants were analyzed using t-tests. The study found that depression is stigmatizing. There is also more stigma for a male with depression than a female with depression. In regards to personal history with depression and stigma, it was found that personally dealing with depression lessened the amount of stigma imposed on depressed persons. There was no significant difference between men’s ratings of stigma and women’s rating. The study also found no significant difference between knowing people with depression or coming into contact with depressed individuals and the likelihood of stigmatizing those with depression.

No description available.