Solution-How problematic have these issues made it for you

How problematic have these issues made it for you at home

Reference no: EM131066324

Construct Questionnaire Development Part I: Construct: The Effect of Depression on the Daily Life

Depression is a brain disorder that may lead to both emotional and physical anguish. Such changes may worsen with time, and if not treated could lead to detrimental effects. The brain controls the body and changes in the way the brain operates may result in direct effect in the way the body functions (Henshaw & Elliott, 2005). Anything that affects the brain should be dealt with as soon as they arise because certain changes may trigger conditions or worsen some mild effects that may otherwise have been kept under control. Depression has been associated with many effects and how dangerous they may be to an individual with that disorder according to Henshaw & Elliott, (2005). The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of depression and how laxity in control may cause permanent effects to individuals.

Definition of the Depression within the Literature

As a construct that this essay explores, depression refers to the mental disorder of mood, which sees individuals develop extreme anxieties or sadness that comes with their associated physical effects.

Operationalization of Depression

Depression exists, but we directly prove this sentiment. It takes us to use indirect phenomena to acknowledge its presence. This operationalization process of the construct simply highlights the operations, which are associated with the construct, and so are its empirical evidence that it is there. It also stipulates the boundary of the phenomena that can be used to measure depressions and those that cannot. On this ground, the operations must be either directly or indirectly tied or associated with mood. In that connection, the phenomena should be close to or having something to do with appetites, sleep, association and the feeling towards the self among other (Henshaw & Elliott, 2005).

The Effect of Depression on the Daily Life

Depression has massive effect on the central nervous system. Most of the symptoms associated with the disorder are, however, easy to dismiss. As already mentioned, there is a feeling of overwhelming sadness associated with individuals having the disorder. Grief and a sense of guilt also tend to be common among depressed persons according to Rowe, (2000). The depression patients at times have trouble sleeping. There is tendency of the patients to withdraw from socializing and one may also have feelings of self-loathing and insufficiency. Other than these symptoms, the victim may also experience a loss of interest in beforehandrelished hobbies. Constant irritability and pessimism are also the effects of depression. Depression does not only affect the mind; it also distresses the body (Rowe, 2000). Among its physical effects are augmented appetite with atypical depression or loss of appetite, unpredictable sleep habits, muscle aches, headaches, back pains and constant fatigue. It is usually easy to discharge these effects as curtailing from another condition, but they are habitually due to depression.

Generally, depression disrupts the lifestyle of persons. Peoples' situations worsen health wise due to lack of eating as a result of reduced appetite and economically due to lack of concentration on economic activities(Henshaw & Elliott, 2005). A person may also end up in solitude as he looses the interest for socialization and while alone, he may think even a harder, a fat that may see him or her go mad if immediate actions are not taken.

Steps in the Operationalization of the Construct, Depression

In the operationalization of the construct depression, there are two embedded steps. Operationalization, in the first place, is a course of defining the dimension of a construct that cannot be measured directly, yet its presence is signposted by other phenomena. Depression is a fuzzy concept, and so needed, as a theoretical concept, to be made clearly measurable and distinguishable as writes Henshaw & Elliott, (2005). This was the first step in operationalizing it. The paper specified its extensiondescribing what it is, what are its parts and aspects and what are not.

For a point in case, the paper mentioned some of the effects of construct. These are its aspect that are part of it.

The second step involved the description of depression so that we can understand it in terms of empirical observations. The paper has already asserted that we cannot see depression yet we can realize its existence through other phenomena. Loss of appetite or overeating and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities are examples of the phenomena that expose depression. These aspects are empirical since they we can see them, hence they are observable and since they are directly associated with depression, they help us understand its existence and effects.

The difficulties Experienced while Developing Questions Specific to the Agreed Definition for this Construct, Depression
The major challenge lies in the fact that depression, as the main construct is identical or have similar factors as other constructs. For instance, headaches and back pain are some of the effects that are associated with depression, however, other constructs like malaria may also cause them. In fact, head and back pains are among the main symptoms of malaria (Rowe, 2000). This factor proved a real problem to the formulation of depression-measuring questions as it was easy to realize that the created questions either tests malaria instead of depression or both.

There are also some phenomena of which are considered measurements of depression, which we can experience without necessarily being under the influence of this construct. Overeating or loss of appetite is one operation. There are conditions and periods in life in which people experience either of these phenomena one at a time. For example, recent research in healthcare has established that adolescents overeats more than any other age bracket of human beings. On the other hand, there is enough proof that most pregnant mothers and the persons that suffer from malaria usually have issues with their appetite. This factor is the major reason behind health specialists like doctors recommending these persons, pregnant mothers and malaria patients to take in plenty of fruits. Fruits are good in building appetite. As such, it was difficult to get the best out of these phenomena about depression.

Ten Questions that can be used to Measure this Depression based on its Definition by the Paper

1. Little pleasure or interest in doing things
Never (_________). Some days (__________). Half the days and more (__________)
Almost every day. (____________)

2. Feeling depressed, down or hopeless