The behavioural, emotional and cognitive characteristics of depression
Depression produces three types of characteristics. Behaviourally, people withdraw and slow down. Emotionally, they feel intense sadness or emptiness. Cognitively, they think in persistently negative ways about themselves and the world.
Real World
After retiring from swimming, Olympic champion Michael Phelps described months of not leaving his bedroom, feeling empty and purposeless (behavioural and emotional), and constantly thinking he was worthless despite his achievements (cognitive).
Exam Focus
Don't just list symptoms — link each one to the correct category (behavioural, emotional, or cognitive) to access full marks.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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