The Social Problem of Depression

A Multi-theoretical Analysis

Bibliographic Data

ID11343229
AuthorsRich Furman (0000-0001-6034-3820, Colorado State University, corresponding author), Kimberly Bender (0000-0001-6659-6140), Keith A Bender (0000-0001-9409-3129, Colorado State University)
Year2003
Volume30
Issue3
Publication date2003-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0191-5096 • E-ISSN: 0191-5096
PublisherWMU Department of Occupational Therapy (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.15453/0191-5096.2920
OpenAlexW1580489762
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited15

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the social problem of depression from a multi-theoretical perspective. It explores depression through the lens of two psychologically based theories of human behavior, existential theory and cognitive theory, as well as through the vehicle of two sociological theories, Marxist theory and the theory of oppression. By understanding how each of these theories explains depression, social workers may be helped to see the complexity of treating the problem. It is the belief of the authors that social work literature, which is often dominated by reductionist, quantitativelybased research studies, has increasingly ignored theoretical explorations of key social problems such as depression, to the determent of the profession and the disciplines which inform it

Depression (economics · Epistemology · Existentialism · Marxist philosophy · Oppression · Perspective (graphical · Political science · Politics · Reductionism · Social science · Social theory · Sociology · Computer Science · Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics · Psychology · Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Social Psychology

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access