Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia

Depressive Disorders: MDD and Dysthymia

Depressive disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by pervasive feelings of sadness, diminished pleasure in life, and a significant impact on daily functioning. These conditions are most prevalent in individuals during their 30s and affect women at twice the rate of men. Contrary to popular belief, younger individuals are generally more susceptible to these disorders than older adults. Two key types of depressive disorders include Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and...

Bonanno's Theory of Grieving

Bonanno's Theory of Grieving

Grieving is a complex psychological and emotional process that varies significantly among individuals. George Bonanno's research on bereavement identified four distinct patterns of grieving, offering a nuanced understanding of how people cope with significant loss, such as the death of a spouse, over extended periods. These patterns — resilience, recovery, chronic dysfunction, and delayed grief — highlight the diversity in emotional responses and adaptive mechanisms.
Resilience
The resilience...

Long-term Depression

Long-term Depression

Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.

Long-term Depression

Long-term Depression

Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over time, all...

Depressive Disorders: Etiology

Depressive Disorders: Etiology

Depressive disorders result from a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors, each contributing uniquely to the development and persistence of the condition. Understanding these factors provides critical insight into the multifaceted nature of depression.
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...

Depression: Overview

Depression: Overview

Depression is a prevalent mental illness marked by persistent sadness and lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities. It can take several forms, including major depression, persistent depressive disorder, and bipolar I and II disorders. Symptoms range from emotional changes like chronic worry to physical changes like sleep disturbances and suicidal thoughts. From a neurobiological perspective, depression is believed to be triggered by abnormalities in the brain's prefrontal cortex,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Bryophyte literature records database of Aysén, Chilean sub-Antarctic ecoregion.

Scientific data·2025

Same author

Exploring social-ecological systems in the transition from war to peace: A scenario-based approach to forecasting the post-conflict landscape in a Colombian region.

The Science of the total environment·2019

Same author

Identifying socio-ecological networks in rural-urban gradients: Diagnosis of a changing cultural landscape.

The Science of the total environment·2017

Same author

Feelings of worthlessness during a single complicated major depressive episode predict postremission suicide attempt.

Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2015

Same author

Reply.

Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2015

Same author

The editor's dilemma: how DSM politics are turning psychiatry into a pseudoscience.

Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica·2015

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder

Published on: March 8, 2018

Relation between duration and severity in bereavement-related depression.

J C Wakefield¹, M F Schmitz, J C Baer

¹Silver School of Social Work, New York University, NY 10003, USA. wakefield@nyu.edu

Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica

|September 29, 2011

Summary

The 1-year duration cut-point effectively identifies more severe bereavement-related depression (BRD), unlike the 2-month cut-point. Duration before one year does not reliably indicate increased BRD severity.

More Related Videos

A New Method for Inducing a Depression-Like Behavior in Rats

A New Method for Inducing a Depression-Like Behavior in Rats

Published on: February 22, 2018

Association Between Sleep Quality and Cognitive Symptoms in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Association Between Sleep Quality and Cognitive Symptoms in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Published on: April 26, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 29, 2026

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder

Published on: March 8, 2018

A New Method for Inducing a Depression-Like Behavior in Rats

A New Method for Inducing a Depression-Like Behavior in Rats

Published on: February 22, 2018

Association Between Sleep Quality and Cognitive Symptoms in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Association Between Sleep Quality and Cognitive Symptoms in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Published on: April 26, 2024

Area of Science:

Psychiatry
Epidemiology
Mental Health Research

Background:

Prolonged duration is a common, yet unvalidated, indicator for pathological bereavement-related depression (BRD).
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) shifted the diagnostic cut-point for BRD from 1 year to 2 months.
Evidence supporting the validity of these duration cut-points in reflecting BRD severity is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the validity of the 2-month and 1-year cut-points for differentiating BRD severity.
To assess whether duration accurately indicates increased severity of bereavement-related depression.

Main Methods:

Utilized a nationally representative U.S. sample (n=152) of individuals with BRD.
Assessed depression severity using six indicators for duration categories: 0-8 weeks, 9-52 weeks, and >52 weeks.
Established cut-point validity by examining discontinuities in severity levels around the proposed cut-offs.

Main Results:

Bereavement-related depressions lasting over 52 weeks showed significantly higher severity on four of six indicators and overall severity compared to those lasting 9-52 weeks.
Durations of ≤8 weeks and 9-52 weeks differed on only one severity indicator and not on overall severity.
Alternative cut-points within 52 weeks also lacked validity in indicating increased severity.

Conclusions:

The traditional 1-year cut-point remains a valid indicator of increasing bereavement-related depression severity.
The DSM's 2-month cut-point does not validly identify increased BRD severity.
Research employing the 2-month cut-point may produce misleading findings regarding BRD severity progression.