AP Psychology Lesson: Bipolar, Depressive, Anxiety, and OCD Disorders

Unit: Mental and Physical Health | Lesson: 4 of 8 | Topic: Bipolar, Depressive, Anxiety, and OCD Disorders
AP Exam Weighting: 15%–25%
Instructions: Complete this lesson during class by filling in the blanks and answering questions. All information needed is provided or will be researched in class. This lesson prepares you for the AP Psychology exam by exploring mood and anxiety-related disorders. Use the provided spaces to write your answers clearly, focusing on applying concepts critically.

Warm-Up

Purpose: Get you thinking about how mood and anxiety disorders affect behavior.
Questions:

  1. How might persistent sadness change someone’s daily life?
  2. Why might excessive worry make it hard to focus?
    Your Answers: Write a short response (1–2 sentences) for each question.

Key Concepts

Instructions: Read the information below and answer the questions to learn core AP concepts. For definitions, write them in your own words based on the content or look up a different definition if directed by your teacher (e.g., via apa.org or Google Scholar).
Content: Bipolar disorders involve mood swings between mania (elevated mood) and depression. Depressive disorders include persistent sadness and loss of interest (e.g., major depressive disorder). Anxiety disorders feature excessive worry (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder). Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Example: A person with OCD repeatedly checks locks due to fear of intruders. These disorders disrupt behaviors like work or relationships. Biological factors (e.g., serotonin imbalances) and environmental stressors contribute. Diagnosis uses DSM-5 criteria.

  1. Define bipolar disorders in your own words: _______________________________
  2. Define anxiety disorders in your own words: _______________________________
  3. Define obsessive-compulsive disorder in your own words: _______________________________
  4. Explain how a depressive disorder influences a behavior, using a specific example:
  1. Explain how OCD influences a behavior, using a different example:
  1. How do biological factors contribute to bipolar disorders?
  1. Why might environmental stressors worsen anxiety disorders?
  1. How does the DSM-5 ensure accurate diagnosis of these disorders?

Guided Activity

Instructions: Work in pairs to complete the two tasks below. Write your answers and be prepared to share one key point from each task with the class.
Task 1: Scenario Analysis: Scenario: A student with depression skips classes due to low energy. Analyze how a depressive disorder and DSM-5 criteria contribute to their diagnosis. For example, consider how symptoms or diagnostic standards guide identification.
Your Response for Task 1: Explain the role of each concept in the diagnosis.

Class Share for Task 1: Note one point you’ll share.

Task 2: Case Application: Imagine a person with OCD washes their hands repeatedly due to fear of germs. Apply the concepts of OCD and biological factors to explain their behavior. For example, evaluate how compulsions or brain chemistry affect their actions.
Your Response for Task 2: Apply the concepts to explain the behavior.

Class Share for Task 2: Note one point you’ll share.

Class Assignment: Refer to the assignment file for this lesson

Instructions: Complete the tasks below to deepen your understanding of mood and anxiety disorders.
Study Summary 1: A 2019 study found that serotonin imbalances were linked to depressive disorders in young adults.
Question 1: How does this study demonstrate the role of biological factors in depression, and what might enhance treatment outcomes?

Study Summary 2: A 2020 study showed that cognitive therapy reduced symptoms of anxiety disorders in adolescents.
Question 2: Evaluate how this study illustrates the impact of environmental interventions on anxiety, and suggest one limitation of its findings.

AP Exam Connection: This practices analyzing and evaluating research, a key skill for FRQs.

AP Exam Practice

Instructions: Answer the question below. We’ll review answers as a class to learn exam strategies.
Free-Response Question (FRQ):
Explain how bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, and OCD interact to influence a specific behavior (e.g., social withdrawal or repetitive actions). Provide one example for each disorder (bipolar, anxiety, OCD) and analyze how they interact to shape the behavior.

Closure

Instructions: Write a brief summary (2–3 sentences) of two key ideas you learned today about how mood and anxiety disorders affect behavior.

Extended Practice

Instructions: Complete the tasks below based on today’s lesson to reinforce AP skills.

  1. Review your answers from this lesson.
  2. Write a detailed paragraph (5–7 sentences) applying today’s topic to a real-life scenario (e.g., how a disorder affects someone’s school or social life). Include references to bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, and OCD, and explain their interaction.
  1. Find a short article or study on mood or anxiety disorders (e.g., via apa.org) and write 2–3 sentences summarizing its relevance to today’s lesson. Cite the source (e.g., website or article title).
Last modified: Wednesday, 6 August 2025, 8:22 PM