Depression (2 credit hours)

Program Summary:  This course offers key considerations for understanding the diagnosis and treatment of depression.  The course explores the clinical presentation of depression with a discussion of vulnerability factors, symptoms, screening, and diagnosis.  Considerations for treatment and managing depression are then examined and include psychoeducation, lifestyle modifications, psychological interventions, and antidepressants.  Complementary treatments and emerging therapies are also discussed.

This course is recommended for social workers, counselors, and therapists and is appropriate for beginning and intermediate levels of practice.

Reading:   Depression by Gin S. Malhi, Erica Bell, Anna Stavdal, Chia-Yi Wu, Anne Naylor, Veena Kumari/ The Lancet

Additional reading:  Depressive Disorder Fact Sheet/ The World Health Organization

Book Icon Open the Course Reading Here.

Course Objectives:  To enhance professional practice, values, skills and knowledge by exploring key considerations for the diagnosis and treatment of depression.

Learning Objectives:  Describe the typical course and prognosis of depression.  Describe considerations for diagnosis, including screening, vulnerability factors, and  key symptoms.  Describe considerations for managing depression including psychoeducation, lifestyle modifications, psychological interventions, and antidepressants.

Course Available Until: May 31, 2031.

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1: Absolute case numbers and rates of depression continue to ___________, and depression globally is greater in _________.
 
 
 
 
2: Depression typically begins in the _______ decade of life.
 
 
 
 
3: By its nature, depression is recurrent and nearly a quarter of people will have a further episode within _______ years of onset.
 
 
 
 
4: In practice, simply asking about ________ symptoms over the past 2 weeks, as per the Patient Health Questionnaire-2, can be sufficient for detecting depression.
 
 
 
 
5: When first diagnosing depression, it can be useful to assign a
 
 
6: In practice, the diagnosis of depression usually starts as a clinical suspicion that is confirmed or refuted by
 
 
 
 
7: Sometimes a diagnosis cannot be made immediately in clinical practice, and appraising the patient over a short period of time is useful- a process called __________.
 
 
 
 
8: The initial goal of treatment is
 
 
 
9: Which therapeutic strategy best describes providing knowledge and instruction about an illness and its management in an unstructured or formal manner to the patient and their carers?
 
 
 
 
10: Diet, exercise, and sleep are examples of which therapeutic strategy?
 
 
 
 
11: Which psychological intervention is best researched and most widely available?
 
 
 
 
 
12: Generally, __________ digital health technologies for psychological interventions have been found to be more effective.
 
 
13: Which psychological intervention identifies, challenges, and interrupts negative cognitions?
 
 
 
 
14: When commencing antidepressants or altering dose, a frank discussion of likely outcomes and the risks involved is essential and regular follow-up and monitoring should be instituted.
 
 
15: In the management of depression, the initial few weeks before and after starting any treatment is a high risk period for suicide.
 
 

In order to purchase or take this course, you will need to log in. If you do not have an account, you will need to register for a free account.

After you log in, a link will appear here that will allow you to purchase this course.

Review our pre-reading study guide.

G.M. Rydberg-Cox, MSW, LSCSW is the Continuing Education Director at Free State Social Work and responsible for the development of this course.  She received her Masters of Social Work in 1996 from the Jane Addams School of Social Work at the University of Illinois-Chicago and she has over 20 years of experience.  She has lived and worked as a social worker in Chicago, Boston, and Kansas City.  She has practiced for many years in the area of hospital/medical social work.  The reading materials for this course were developed by another organization.

Course Available Until: May 31, 2031.
Filed under: Clinical, Diagnosis / Treatment