Depression in Schizophrenia: Understanding the role of hopelessness

It has been demonstrated that levels of depression
are elevated in individuals diagnosed with
Schizophrenia. This monograph describes doctoral
research that investigated the role of hopelessness
in depression experienced by individuals with
Schizophrenia. High levels of hopelessness are
highlighted as a key factor mediating the difference
between depression scores of individuals with
Schizophrenia and those with no history of contact
with psychiatric services. Associations have
previously been noted between the individual s
personal beliefs about the illness and the
occurrence of depression following Schizophrenia.
It is proposed that these associations may in fact
be a statistical artefact of the relationship
between hopelessness and personal beliefs about the
illness. The potential interplay between depression,
hopelessness and self-harming behaviour in
individuals with Schizophrenia is discussed.

Autorentext

Ross White completed his PhD at Queen's University Belfast and then a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Glasgow. He currently works as a Clinical Psychologist with a First Episode Psychosis service in Glasgow. His research interests focus on developing psychological therapies to help people stay well after Psychosis.

Klappentext

It has been demonstrated that levels of depression are elevated in individuals diagnosed with Schizophrenia. This monograph describes doctoral research that investigated the role of hopelessness in depression experienced by individuals with Schizophrenia. High levels of hopelessness are highlighted as a key factor mediating the difference between depression scores of individuals with Schizophrenia and those with no history of contact with psychiatric services. Associations have previously been noted between the individual's personal beliefs about the illness and the occurrence of depression following Schizophrenia. It is proposed that these associations may in fact be a statistical artefact of the relationship between hopelessness and personal beliefs about the illness. The potential interplay between depression, hopelessness and self-harming behaviour in individuals with Schizophrenia is discussed.