1000 word limit essay on developing depression and anxiety and the role childhood experience have on such. This was a part of the 'Developmental Psychology' module in 2nd year psychology.
Answering the question: 'Critically evaluate the role of childhood experiences in the development of anxiety i...
Critically evaluate the role of childhood experiences in the development of
anxiety and depression.
Emotion and thought disorders particularly anxiety and depression amongst
the most common type of disorder to be diagnosed in children and adolescents
(Merikangas, 2009) and from data from the NHS and WHO they are seen to be on
the rise. Explanation for the development of such disorders varies covering areas of
the biological, environmental, and cognitive realms while also considering to how
childhood experiences can also play a role in the development in these disorders.
Childhood experience can be potentially held accountable as for playing a
role into the development in anxiety and depression especially when taking the
stages of cognitive development into account along with any stressful life events. In
the case of depression, it can be seen that if someone has experienced stressful life
events at childhood there is a high risk of that person developing depression. Monroe
and Cummins (2019) reported that 50-80% of diagnosed depressed individuals
reported a stressful event happening before their first depressive episode thus
showing that experiencing such at a young age can lead to the development of
depression. Furthermore, the development of depression has been directly linked to
the number of stressful events people are experiencing during childhood which
further cements the idea that a stressful childhood leads to depression development.
This is further supported by research from Hammen et al (2014) which pointed out
the significance of the timing that the stressful life event was to happen, their
research suggested that stressful life events happening in early stages of one’s life
e.g., childhood and early adolescence is where it affects most. These stressful life
events can lead to children also developing aspects of ‘learned helplessness’
(Seligman, 1975) and ‘negative attribution styles’ (Seligman and Teasdale, 1978)
which can also add to the development of depression.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller RGYN. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $8.45. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
