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depression

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4 detailed 50-minute lessons with teaching scripts, worked examples, parent guides, and assessment criteria.

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Lesson Overview

Total Lessons: 4
Tier: Foundation and Higher
Duration: 50 minutes per lesson (200 minutes total)
Exam Boards: AQA, Edexcel, OCR, Eduqas, CCEA

Learning Objectives

Prerequisites

Materials & Equipment

Lesson 1: Introduction: depression

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Quick Recall

Write down everything you already know about depression. Then check against the key terms: Psychology Exam Tips. Use a mini-whiteboard or paper.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Parent/Teacher Guide:
Before lesson: Read the script below. Pre-teach key vocab: Psychology Exam Tips.
If stuck: Re-read the revision notes (link above), then break the content into smaller steps.
Extension: See the Stretch & Challenge ideas in Lesson 4.
Teaching Script (35 mins):
Mins 0-5 - Hook: "Today: depression. By the end you will be able to answer exam questions on it unaided. It connects to the rest of Psychology because the ideas here recur across the spec."
Mins 5-20 - Direct Instruction: Work through the core ideas below one at a time; after each, ask your student to explain it back in their own words.
Mins 20-30 - Guided Practice: Model the worked example together, then let your student attempt the first practice question with guidance.
Mins 30-35 - Independent Practice: 2-3 practice questions from Lesson 3 below, with immediate feedback.
First Look

Start with the revision notes summary, then attempt: Describe biological and cognitive explanations of depression and evaluate each one.

Plenary (5 minutes)

Check Out

Your student states one thing they learned and one question they still have about depression.

Lesson 2: Core Concepts: depression

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Review Previous Lesson

Quick recap: write 3 key points from Lesson 1 on depression. Check them against the notes below.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Key Fact: Depression symptoms: persistent low mood, loss of interest/pleasure (anhedonia), changes in sleep and appetite, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, feelings of worthlessness, and suicidal thoughts. Diagnosis requires symptoms lasting at least 2 weeks.
Key Fact: Biological explanations: genetics (twin studies show 37% concordance in MZ vs 15% in DZ twins - McGuffin et al.); neurotransmitter imbalance (low serotonin and noradrenaline); the diathesis-stress model: genetic predisposition + life events trigger depression.
Key Fact: Cognitive explanations: Beck's negative triad - negative views about the self, the world, and the future create a cycle of depression. Seligman's learned helplessness: repeated failure leads to belief that outcomes are uncontrollable, causing depression.
Key Fact: Biological treatment: SSRIs (e.g. Prozac) increase serotonin by preventing reuptake at synapses. Effective for many but: side effects (nausea, insomnia, loss of libido), 30-40% of patients don't respond, treats symptoms not causes, withdrawal effects.
Key Fact: Psychological treatment: CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) identifies and challenges negative automatic thoughts and beliefs, replacing them with realistic ones. Beck's CBT: test negative beliefs against evidence, develop alternative interpretations. Effective: March et al. found CBT + SSRI most effective for adolescents. But: requires motivation, takes time, not available for all.
Psychology Exam Tips: When evaluating depression explanations and treatments, always consider: is the explanation reductionist? Does the treatment address causes or symptoms? Is the evidence causal or correlational? Use the biopsychosocial approach for comprehensive evaluation.

Practice (10 minutes)

Q: Describe biological and cognitive explanations of depression and evaluate each one.

Answer: Biological: genetics (twin studies show heritability), low serotonin/noradrenaline (supported by SSRI effectiveness). Cognitive: Beck's negative triad (negative self, world, future views maintain depression), Seligman's learned helplessness (uncontrollable outcomes lead to hopelessness). Biological is supported by drug effectiveness but is reductionist; cognitive explains thinking patterns but may not address biological vulnerability.

Plenary (5 minutes)

Explain Back

Your student teaches the key points back to you without looking. Fill any gaps immediately.

Lesson 3: Application: depression

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Quick Recall

Recall the key terms: Psychology Exam Tips. Define each in one sentence.

Main Content (35 minutes)

Parent/Teacher Guide: Let your student attempt each question alone first, then compare with the model answer. Award method marks for correct working even if the final answer is wrong.

Q1: Describe biological and cognitive explanations of depression and evaluate each one.

Answer: Biological: genetics (twin studies show heritability), low serotonin/noradrenaline (supported by SSRI effectiveness). Cognitive: Beck's negative triad (negative self, world, future views maintain depression), Seligman's learned helplessness (uncontrollable outcomes lead to hopelessness). Biological is supported by drug effectiveness but is reductionist; cognitive explains thinking patterns but may not address biological vulnerability.

Q2: Compare SSRI medication with CBT as treatments for depression.

Answer: SSRIs: increase serotonin, effective for 60-70% of patients, quick to prescribe, but side effects and treat symptoms not causes. CBT: challenges negative thoughts, teaches skills for long-term management, no side effects, but requires effort and time, therapist availability is limited. March et al. found CBT + SSRI combined was most effective for adolescent depression (71% improvement vs 61% SSRI alone vs 43% CBT alone).

Q3: Evaluate whether depression is best explained as a biological or a psychological condition.

Answer: Depression is best explained by an interaction of both: genetic vulnerability (biological) may be triggered by life events (social), which then activate negative thinking patterns (cognitive). The diathesis-stress model integrates biological predisposition with environmental triggers. Neither explanation alone fully accounts for depression - a biopsychosocial approach is most comprehensive.

Plenary (5 minutes)

Error Review

Review any questions answered incorrectly. Identify whether the error was knowledge, method, or reading the question.

Lesson 4: Exam Practice: depression

Duration: 50 minutes

Starter Activity (5 minutes)

Command Words

Review what these command words require: state (one point), describe (say what happens), explain (say why), compare (both sides), evaluate (judgement).

Main Content (35 minutes)

Extended Answer

Extended question: Full-Mark Response Evaluate the relative effectiveness of biological and psychological treatments for depression. <div class="

A grade 9 response will: describe SSRIs (mechanism, effectiveness, limitations); describe CBT (mechanism, effectiveness, limitations); compare using research evidence (March et al.: combined is best); evaluate biological treatment (effective but side effects, treats symptoms); evaluate psychological treatment (addresses thinking but requires motivation, limited availability); conclude: for moderate-severe depression, combined treatment (SSRI + CBT) is most effective. For mild depression, CBT alone may be sufficient. Treatment should be personalised - the biopsychosocial model suggests different patients may benefit from different combinations.

Exam Tips: Beck's negative triad: Negative SELF + Negative WORLD + Negative FUTURE = depression. | SSRIs = increase serotonin (biological). CBT = change negative thoughts (cognitive). Best = BOTH combined. | Diathesis-stress model: GENETIC vulnerability + LIFE EVENTS = depression. Nature + nurture.
Common Errors: Watch Out! Students often make mistakes here. Wrong: Depression is caused by a chemical imbalance, so the only effective treatment is medication. Correct: While low serotonin is associated with depression, this correlation doesn't prove it's the cause. SSRIs increase serotonin immediately but take weeks to improve mood, suggesting the relationship is more complex. CBT is as effective as medication for mild-moderate depression and more effective at preventing relapse (Hollon et al.). Combined treatment is most effective. Depression has multiple causes, so multiple treatment approaches are needed.
Stretch & Challenge (Grade 8-9):
  • Synoptic links: explain how depression connects to another Psychology topic you have studied
  • Real-world: research one real-world use or example of depression
  • Critical: "What are the limitations of the models used in depression?"

Plenary (5 minutes)

Assessment Criteria
  • Got it: Confident explanation + correct worked examples
  • Getting there: Main points OK, needs support with detail
  • Not yet: Confused on key concepts - re-run Lesson 2

Homework & Consolidation

Recommended Resources

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