(Excerpt from: McGill Undergraduate Calendar) This course will examine in depth cognitive, behavioral, psychodynamic, biological, and developmental psychopathology models  of the etiology of depression.  Within each theoretical perspective, core issues, theoretical and methodological underpinnings, and research data will be examined

Instructor:  TBA

Content:  This course is designed to comprehensively examine psychological theories of depression. We will examine core issues, theoretical and methodological underpinnings, and research data. Three major assumptions will be woven throughout the course:

1) Depressive disorders are the result of the interaction among many variables. With few if any exceptions, depressive symptomatology stems from multiple influences and their continuous interactions. Cognitive, behavioural, interpersonal, psychodynamic, and biological approaches to the etiology of depression will therefore be examined. Emphasis will be placed on integrating these models in order to develop a cross-theoretical model of depression that incorporates risk, vulnerability, and protective factors from all paradigms.

2) The complexity of the etiology of depression calls for systematic conceptualization and observation, data collection, and hypothesis testing. The methods and results of research thus are critical components of virtually all topics covered. Thus, there will be a bias toward empirical approaches and the theoretical frameworks that rely heavily on the scientific method.

3) Studies examining models of depression in adults cannot simply be extended downward to children.  Rather age-related differences in cognition, emotion, behavior, and physical development must be taken into account and the theories must be tested using both adults and children. Therefore, developmental psychopathology approaches to the development of vulnerability to depression will be emphasized. Special attention will be placed on the impact of developmental factors on applying prevailing psychological theories of depression to child populations.

Evaluation:  Final grade will be based on (1) written commentaries on the readings (30%); (2) two 15-minute oral presentations (30%); and (3) a research proposal (40%).