Thesis (M.A.)--Briercrest Biblical Seminary, 1999. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [110-116]).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

The prevalence and nature of depression among adolescents in the general population has received considerable empirical attention in the last decade. Although researchers and clinicians agree that depressive symptoms and depressive disorders are distressing to youths and may have wide ranging effects on their health and development, specific features of depression noted during adolescence (e.g., different manifestations of symptoms) warrant further examination. Using the domain of developmental psychopathology as a conceptual framework, the present study (a) examined sex and age differences in adolescents’ reports of depressive symptoms; (b) explored the extent to which other symptoms were associated with adolescents’ depressive symptoms; and (c) identified subtypes of adolescents who manifested their symptoms of depression in different ways. Data were collected from 379 community-dwelling adolescents (193 females, 186 males) ranging in age from 12 to 19 years. During one class period, youths completed anonymous questionnaires assessing their depressive and comorbid symptoms, personality style, and relationships with their mothers and fathers. Descriptive analyses showed that adolescent females reported higher levels of depressive symptoms than adolescent males and that adolescents’ reports of depressive symptoms tended to show a linear increase across age. Correlational analyses revealed that females who reported depressive symptoms were likely to also report anxiety symptoms whereas males who reported depressive symptoms also reported symptoms of anxiety, substance use, school misconduct, and antisocial behaviour. A K-means cluster analysis of the MAPI personality scales identified three subtypes of adolescents who manifested their depressive symptoms in different ways. These subtypes were labelled Isolated-Discontented, Engaged-Intrusive, and Inhibited- Insecure and were distinguished by their levels of depressive symptoms, patterns of co-occurring symptoms, relationships with their mothers, adolescent-specific concerns (e.g., personal esteem), and behavioural correlates (e.g.. impulse control). The discussion focuses on the clinical implications of these subtypes of depressed adolescents (e.g.. their clinical presentation, need for treatment, and appropriateness of specific interventions) as well as factors that may be contributing to the high level of depressive symptoms reported by the adolescents in this sample. / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to evaluate Tucker's hypothesis of differential hemispheric functioning in depression, the validity of Beck's cognitive theory and Lewinsohn's behavioral theory of depression for clinically depressed subjects, and the relationship between hemispheric functioning and cognitive-behavioral functioning throughout a period of hospitalization for depression. A 3x2x2x3 repeated-measures study was conducted with 48 right-handed subjects in three groups: depressed, normal and psychiatric comparison. Each group contained an equal number of males and females. To test for right hemisphere functioning, subjects were administered a dichotic stimulation test (Musical Chords) in which the left ear (right hemisphere) has previously proven superior in normal right-handers. A dichotic test in which the right ear is normally superior (Word Triads) was administered as a control. A righthemrsphere cognitive test (Flags) was also administered, with a left hemisphere cognitive test (Word Fluency) as a control. A Cognitive Distortion Questionnaire was used to measure depressives' cognitions within Beck's typology, and a short version of the Pleasant Events Schedule was used to measure response-contingent positive reinforcement within Lewinsohn's theoretical framework. Patients were tested at admission to hospital, 10-13 days later, and at discharge, in order to observe changes in hemispheric, cognitive and behavioral functioning, at intervals ranging from severe depression to recovery. On both dichotic tests, depressives failed to obtain normal ear superiorities at admission to hospital, but did so by discharge. Flags scores of depressives were low at each trial, while Word Fluency was unimpaired at any time. These results suggest that two different processes, one acute and one chronic, are operating during depression. An acute interhemispheric process apparently affects both hemispheres, producing a breakdown in normal asymmetries for processing mode. With treatment, this acute process abates, and normal asymmetries once again emerge. A second process apparently involves chronic inhibition of certain right hemisphere cognitive functions. This could represent a neurogenic index of psychiatric vulnerability within depression-prone individuals. Consistent with Beck's cognitive theory, depressives demonstrated a high degree of cognitive distortion at admission to hospital. However, since at discharge depressives no longer demonstrated cognitive distortion, the study provided no evidence that cognitive distortion is a characteristic of depression-prone persons. However, more research is needed to assess the validity of the cognitive distortion measure employed in the study. Consistent with Lewinsohn's behavioral theory, depressives demonstrated a low rate of response-contingent positive reinforcement at admission to hospital and increased reinforcement rate by discharge. However, since reinforcement rate of normals dropped across trials while their mood level did not, these results do not provide clear support for Lewinsohn's theory. No significant relationship was found between changes in hemispheric' functioning and changes in either cognitive distortion or reinforcement rate. No sex differences were found in any of the variables under consideration. The necessity for using multiple measures of hemispheric functioning is discussed, and suggestions for future research are proposed. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate

According to the World Health Organization, depression affects about 350 million people worldwide. In 2014, only 50% of the adult patients were screened for depression in the community-based Federally Qualified Healthcare Center (FQHC) for which this doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) project was developed. In an effort to meet the 100% benchmark set nationally for the screening of adult patients in the primary care settings, the FQHC's quality improvement team now requires that 80% of adult patients in the clinic be screened for depression. Framed within the Iowa model of evidence-based practice, the purposes of this project were to: (a) identify an evidence-based protocol and clinical guidelines to direct the use of the Patient Health Questionnaires (PHQ)-2 and PHQ-9 depression screening tools currently available for staff, and (b) develop an educational curriculum for the staff about depression, the use of the protocol, and clinical guidelines for the tools. Two DNP educators served as content experts to evaluate the curriculum plan using a dichotomous nine-item format that revealed that the content met the objectives of the curriculum. The experts also conducted content validation of each of the 15-pretest/posttest items using a Likert scale ranging from 1(not relevant) to 4 (highly relevant). A content validation index of 1.00 showed that the experts strongly agreed that the items reflected the content of the curriculum. Recommendations were made for item construction of the pretest/posttest. The project speaks to social change through promotion of the PHQ-2 and PHQ-9 depression screening tools to facilitate appropriate diagnosis and treatment, thus promoting the health of clients, families, and the community.

Thesis (M.A.(Social Work))--University of Pretoria, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 235-256).

Thesis (M.S.)--Florida State University, 2004. / Advisor: Dr. Norman B. Schmidt, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Psychology. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Jan. 13, 2005). Includes bibliographical references.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Depression is a heterogeneous mental health condition, varying in presentation across individuals. A candidate etiology that may help account for this heterogeneity is the neurotrophin hypothesis of depression, which proposes that stress downregulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression, leading to aberrant neurogenesis and depression. This etiology may manifest in a distinct symptom profile that may be reflected in depressive symptoms or symptom clusters. The effect of psychological interventions on BDNF is not known. Additionally, it is not known if BDNF levels mediate intervention effects on depressive symptom clusters. Using data from the eIMPACT trial (NCT02458690, supported by R01 HL122245), I examined baseline associations of BDNF with depressive symptoms and depressive symptom clusters. Also, I examined if the modernized collaborative care intervention for depression (internet CBT, telephonic CBT, and select antidepressant medications) affected BDNF and if changes in BDNF mediated intervention effects on cognitive/affective and somatic depressive symptom clusters. 216 participants (primary care patients with depression and elevated cardiovascular disease risk ≥50 years from a safety net healthcare system) were randomized to 12 months of the eIMPACT intervention (n=107) or usual primary care for depression (primary care providers supported by embedded behavioral health clinicians and affiliated psychiatrists; n=109). Plasma BDNF was measured with commercial ELISA kits. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the PHQ-9 (M=15.1, SD=5.0) from which cognitive/affective and somatic subscale scores were computed. No significant baseline associations were observed between BDNF and individual depressive symptoms or depressive symptom clusters. The intervention did not improve BDNF over 12 months. Similarly, 12-month changes in BDNF were not associated with 12-month changes in PHQ-9 cognitive/affective or somatic subscale scores. However, the intervention significantly improved PHQ-9 cognitive/affective and somatic subscale scores over 12 months. 12-month changes in BDNF did not mediate the effect of the intervention on 12-month changes in the PHQ-9 subscale scores. These findings suggest that modernized collaborative care for depression does not improve BDNF. Modernized collaborative care does yield improvements in both cognitive/affective and somatic depressive symptom clusters, albeit not via changes in BDNF.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing