Skip to main content

Depression

Depression is characterized by an extended period of low mood, anhedonia, and reduction in activity. Dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) is characterized by a depressed mood that occurs for most of the day, more days than not, and has been present for at least two years. Depression is a heterogeneous condition with many different triggers, presentations, and maintaining factors. Cognitive behavioral therapies (including acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), compassion focused therapy (CFT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)) are effective evidence-based treatment for depression, and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is an effective intervention for preventing the recurrence of depression. Read more

Filter

Depression

Filter

Search

Language

Resource type

Problem

Therapy tool

22 of 122 resources
Transdiagnostic Processes

Transdiagnostic Processes

A ‘transdiagnostic process’ is the label given to a mechanism which is present across disorders and which is either a risk or maintaining factor f ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/transdiagnostic-processes/

Information handouts

Resource Download
Disqualifying Others

Disqualifying Others

This Disqualifying Others information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more eff ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/disqualifying-others/

Information handouts

Resource Download
Am I Experiencing Depression?

Am I Experiencing Depression?

Depression is a condition characterized by an extended period of low mood, anhedonia, and reduction in activity. Am I Experiencing Depression? is an i ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/am-i-experiencing-depression/

Exercises

Resource Download
Perspective-Taking

Perspective-Taking

Cognitive restructuring techniques in CBT teach clients ways of analyzing situations in ways that might initially be unfamiliar. A simple way of intro ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/perspective-taking/

Worksheets

Resource Download
Overgeneralization

Overgeneralization

The Overgeneralization information handout forms part of the cognitive distortions series, designed to help clients and therapists to work more effect ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/overgeneralization/

Information handouts

Resource Download
Arbitrary Inference

Arbitrary Inference

Arbitrary inference is one of the earliest and broadest cognitive disotortions described in CBT. Beck defines it as "the process of forming an interpr ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/arbitrary-inference/

Information handouts

Resource Download
Exercise For Mental Health

Exercise For Mental Health

Exercise is an evidence-based treatment for depression and anxiety and research suggests that, in the treatment of depression, exercise interventions ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/exercise-for-mental-health/

Information handouts

Resource Download
Psychology Tools For Living Well

Psychology Tools For Living Well

Cognitive behavioral therapy can help your clients to live happier and more fulfilling lives. Psychology Tools for Living Well is a self-help course ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/psychology-tools-for-living-well/

Books & Chapters

Daily Monitoring Form

Daily Monitoring Form

Activity diaries can be used for activity monitoring during an assessment phase of therapy, symptom monitoring during therapy, correlating activity wi ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/daily-monitoring-form/

Worksheets

Resource Download
Activity Selection

Activity Selection

Activity selection is a technique for rating the difficulty of different activities. It is a helpful tool when clients have difficulty choosing betwee ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/activity-selection/

Worksheets

Resource Download
Mindfulness In Everyday Life (Audio)

Mindfulness In Everyday Life (Audio)

Mindfulness In Everyday Life is a short mindfulness exercise which guides clients how to bring present-moment awareness into everyday life. This audio ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mindfulness-in-everyday-life-audio/

Audio

Resource Download
Mindfulness Of Breath (Long Version) (Audio)

Mindfulness Of Breath (Long Version) (Audio)

Mindfulness Of Breath (Long version) is a mindfulness exercise encouraging present-moment awareness, using the breath as an anchor for the attention. ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mindfulness-of-breath-long-version-audio/

Audio

Resource Download
Mindfulness Of Sounds And Thoughts (Audio)

Mindfulness Of Sounds And Thoughts (Audio)

Mindfulness Of Sounds And Thoughts is a mindfulness practice exercise that encourages relating to thoughts as ‘just thoughts’ that come and go in ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mindfulness-of-sounds-and-thoughts-audio/

Audio

Resource Download
Thinking Versus Sensing (Audio)

Thinking Versus Sensing (Audio)

Thinking Versus Sensing is a short mindfulness exercise to demonstrate the difference between thinking about our experience and sensing it directly. E ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/thinking-versus-sensing-audio/

Audio

Resource Download
Task Planning And Achievement Record

Task Planning And Achievement Record

The Task Planning and Achievement Record can be used to plan daily tasks and record goal attainment. It is most suited for encouraging frequent or rep ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/task-planning-and-achievement-record/

Worksheets

Resource Download
What Does Exercise Do For the Mind And Body?

What Does Exercise Do For the Mind And Body?

Exercise is an evidence-based treatment for depression and anxiety and research suggests that in the treatment of depression, exercise interventions l ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/what-does-exercise-do-for-the-mind-and-body/

Information handouts

Resource Download
Mindful Attention (Audio)

Mindful Attention (Audio)

The Mindful Attention exercise is an audio track from the Psychology Tools For Overcoming PTSD Audio Collection. This audio track was originally recor ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/mindful-attention-audio/

Audio

Resource Download
Raisin Exercise (Audio)

Raisin Exercise (Audio)

The Raisin Exercise is a short mindfulness exercise encouraging present-moment awareness of the senses, connecting with taste, touch and smell while y ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/raisin-exercise-audio/

Audio

Resource Download
Rumination Diary (Archived)

Rumination Diary (Archived)

NOTE: An improved version of this resource is available here: Rumination – Self-Monitoring Record. Older versions of a resource may be archived ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/rumination-diary-archived/

Archived

Resource Download
Self-Criticism Self-Monitoring Record (Archived)

Self-Criticism Self-Monitoring Record (Archived)

NOTE: An improved version of this resource is available here: Self-Criticism Self-Monitoring Record. Older versions of a resource may be archived in t ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/self-criticism-self-monitoring-record-archived/

Archived

Resource Download
Things To Do List

Things To Do List

The Things To Do List is a form of activity record. Clients are instructed to generate a list of planned activities, assign a priority rating to each ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/things-to-do-list/

Worksheets

Resource Download
Rumination Self-Monitoring Record (Archived)

Rumination Self-Monitoring Record (Archived)

NOTE: An improved version of this resource is available here: Rumination Self-Monitoring Record. Older versions of a resource may be archived in the e ... https://www.psychologytools.com/resource/rumination-self-monitoring-record-archived/

Archived

Resource Download
<< Previous 1 2

Links to external resources

Psychology Tools makes every effort to check external links and review their content. However, we are not responsible for the quality or content of external links and cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time.

Assessment

  • Valued Living Questionnaire (Version 2) | Wilson, Groom | 2002
    Archived Link
  • Ruminative responses scale | Treynor, Gonzalez, Nolen-Hoeksema | 2003
  • Clinically Useful Depression Outcome Scale (CUDOS) | Zimmerman, Chelminski, McGlinchey, Posternak | 2008
    • Scale
      Archived Link
    • Zimmerman, M., Chelminski, I., McGlinchey, J. B., & Posternak, M. A. (2008). A clinically useful depression outcome scale. Comprehensive psychiatry, 49(2), 131-140.
  • Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale | Zung | 1965
    • Scale
      Archived Link
    • Reference Zung, W. W. (1965). A self-rating depression scale. Archives of General Psychiatry, 12(1), 63-70.
  • Severity Measure For Depression – Adult (Adapted from the Patient Health Questionnaire–9 (PHQ-9)) | APA (Spitzer, Williams, Kroenke and colleagues)
  • Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) | Kroenke, Spitzer | 2002
    • Scale phqscreeners.com
      Primary Link
    • Kroenke, K., & Spitzer, R. L. (2002). The PHQ-9: a new depression diagnostic and severity measure. Psychiatric annals, 32(9), 509-515.
  • Montgomery & Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) | Montgomery, Asberg | 1979
    • Scale
      Primary Link Archived Link
    • MADRS Score Card
      Archived Link
    • Montgomery, S.A., Asberg, M. (1979). A new depression scale designed to be sensitive to change. British Journal of Psychiatry, 134 (4): 382–89.
  • Hamilton Rating Scale For Depression (HAM-D) | Hamilton | 1960
    • Scale
      Archived Link
    • Hamilton M. (1960). A rating scale for depression. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 23, 56–62.
  • Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale (EPDS) | Cox, Holden, Sagovsky | 1987
    • Scale
      Primary Link
    • Cox, J. L., Holden, J. M., & Sagovsky, R. (1987). Detection of postnatal depression: development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 150(6), 782-786.

Case Conceptualization / Case Formulation

  • Developing and using a case formulation to guide cognitive behaviour therapy | Persons | 2015
    Primary Link Archived Link
  • Cognitive conceptualisation (excerpt from Basics and Beyond) | J. Beck
    Archived Link

Guides and workbooks

  • Mood And Substance Use | NDARC: Mills, Marel, Baker, Teesson, Dore, Kay-Lambkin, Manns, Trimingham | 2011
    Primary Link

Information Handouts

Information (Professional)

Self-Help Programmes

Treatment Guide

  • Depression In Adults: Treatment And Management (NICE Guideline) | NICE | 2022
    Primary Link
  • Behavioural activation treatment for depression (BATD) manual | Lejuez, Hopko & Hopko | 2001
    Archived Link
  • Suicide and self injury: a practitioners guide | Forensic Psychology Practice Ltd | 1999
    Archived Link
  • Behavioural activation treatment for depression – revised (BATD-R) manual | Lejuez, Hopko, Acierno, Daughters, Pagoto | 2011
    Archived Link
  • Metacognitive Training For Depression (D-MCT) Manual | Jelinek, Schneider, Hauschild, Moritz | 2023
    Primary Link Archived Link
  • Metacognitive Training For Depression | Jelinek, Hauschildt, Moritz & Schneider | 2022
  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression in young people: a modular treatment manual | Orygen | 2015
    Primary Link Archived Link
  • Group therapy manual for cognitive behavioral treatment of depression | Muñoz, Miranda | 1993
    Archived Link
  • CBT For Depression In Veterans And Military Service Members – Therapist Manual | Wenzel, Brown, Carlin | 2011
    Primary Link Archived Link
  • Cognitive behaviour therapy for depression in young people: manual for therapists | Improving Mood with Psychoanalytic and Cognitive Therapies (IMPACT) Study CBT Sub-Group | 2010
    Primary Link Archived Link
  • Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Group Program For Depression | Milner, Tischler, DeSena, Rimer
    Primary Link Archived Link
  • Manual for group cognitive-behavioral therapy of major depression: a reality management approach (Instructor’s manual) | Muñoz, Ippen, Rao, Le, Dwyer | 2000
    Primary Link
  • Individual therapy manual for cognitive-behavioural treatment of depression | Ricardo Muñoz, Jeanne Miranda | 1996
    Primary Link Archived Link
  • Depression In Adults: Recognition And Management | National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines | 2009
    Primary Link Archived Link

Worksheets

Recommended Reading

  • Behavioural activation treatment for depression: returning to contextual roots | Jacobson, Martell, Dimidjian | 2001
    Primary Link Archived Link

What Is Depression?

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

To meet DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder an individual must have experienced five of the following symptoms for at least two weeks:

  • a depressed mood that is present most of the day, nearly every day
  • diminished interest in activities which were previously experienced as pleasurable
  • fatigue or a loss of energy
  • sleep disturbance (insomnia or hypersomnia)
  • feelings of worthlessness, self-reproach, or excessive guilt
  • a diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness
  • recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or suicidal behavior
  • changes in appetite marked by a corresponding weight change
  • psychomotor agitation or retardation to a degree which is observable by others

Psychological Models and Theory of Depression

Beck’s cognitive theory of depression (Beck, Rush, Shaw, & Emery, 1979) forms the basis for cognitive behavioral approaches for the treatment of depression. Beck’s theory proposes that there are different levels of cognition that can be dysfunctional in depression: core beliefs, rules and assumptions, and negative automatic thoughts. CBT aims to balance negatively biased cognition with more rational and accurate thoughts, beliefs, and assumptions. CBT also systematically aims to increase levels of rewarding activity.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) proposes that distress, including symptoms of depression, are the result of psychological inflexibility (Hayes, Luoma, Bond, Masuda, & Lillis, 2006). Indicators of psychological inflexibility include:

  • ‘buying in’ to negative thoughts and narratives;
  • engaging in worry or rumination that takes us away from the present moment;
  • losing contact with our values—what is important to us.

Evidence-Based Psychological Approaches for Working with Depression

Many psychological therapies have an evidence base for working with depression:

Resources for Working with Depression

Psychology Tools resources available for working therapeutically with depression may include:

  • psychological models of depression
  • information handouts for depression
  • exercises for depression
  • CBT worksheets for depression
  • self-help programs for depression

References

  • Beck, A. T., Rush, A. J., Shaw, B. F., & Emery, G. (1979). Cognitive therapy of depression. New York: Guilford Press.
  • Hayes, S. C., Luoma, J. B., Bond, F. W., Masuda, A., & Lillis, J. (2006). Acceptance and commitment therapy: Model, processes and outcomes. BehaviourResearch and Therapy, 44(1), 1–25.

> Problems > Depression
© 2024 Psychology Tools. All rights reserved