Major Depression in Adults: Signs, Symptoms, and Treatment Strategies, 2nd Edition

Course overview

Depressive disorders affect many people across a wide range of age, cultural, ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic groups, and clinicians need to be aware of the prevalence, different manifestations, symptoms, and effect on functioning among various populations. Participants of this course will learn about the epidemiology of major depressive disorder and how to differentiate types of depression as described by the DSM-5, such as persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia), premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and substance- or medication-induced depressive disorder. Participants will learn about treatment planning and the implementation of evidence-based practices. Current treatments are described, including biological treatments, such as psychopharmacology and electroconvulsive therapy; psychological treatments, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy; and social interventions. Relapse prevention and the monitoring of client progress are discussed. A case scenario illuminates treatment and measuring outcomes through goal attainment scales and other forms of single-subject designs.