Providing a cutting-edge examination of the mechanisms underlying depression, this volume integrates important areas of research that have largely remained separate. The authors explore both the cognitive and neurological processes that make some people more vulnerable than others to developing depression and experiencing recurrent episodes. They also probe how these processes interact--how negative life experiences, maladaptive belief systems, and patterns of thinking may actually affect neural circuitry, and vice versa. Explaining sophisticated theory and research in an accessible style, the book highlights the implications for improving clinical practices and patient outcomes.

Rick E. Ingram, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at the University of Kansas. His research focuses on cognitive functioning in emotional disorders, with a particular emphasis on the cognitive features of individuals at risk for depression. Dr. Ingram is a recipient of the New Researcher Award from the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy (now the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies) and the Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career Contributions to Psychology from the American Psychological Association, and is a Division 12 Fellow of the American Psychological Association. Ruth Ann Atchley, PhD, is Chair of the Department of Psychology and a member of the Cognitive and Clinical PhD Programs at the University of Kansas. Her research uniquely combines event-related-potential electrophysiological data with divided-visual-field research techniques to examine hemispheric differences in linguistic and other cognitive processes. Over the last 10 years, Dr. Atchley has investigated how neurolinguistic processes contribute to the negative cognitive bias seen in depressed individuals and those with chronic pain disorders. Zindel V. Segal, PhD, is the Cameron Wilson Chair in Depression Studies and Head of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. He is also Head of the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Unit at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Dr. Segal has studied and published widely on psychological treatments for depression for more than 25 years. He and his colleagues have pioneered the combined use of mindfulness meditation and cognitive therapy as an effective relapse prevention treatment.