be mood and classify a psychological syndrome. The multiplicity of terms (a symptom, disease, a physiological reaction, a neurosis, a psychosis, an illness) used in the diagnosis of depression captures the elusiveness of this condition (Parker, 1978). Depressive disorders, which include major depressive disorder (unipolar depression), dysthymic disorder (chronic, mild depression) and bipolar disorder (manic-depression) are a widespread psychological disorder with a population life prevalence rate of about 17 % (Blazer, Kessler & McGonagle, 1994). The onset of depression may be sudden but its full development spreads over a period of days or weeks (Beck, 1991). Thus the patient experiences a snowballing effect of sadness and apathy. Weber (1997) describes depression an inner anguish and/or a depressed mood that is disabling and exhausting and can be far more pervasive and profound.
             Most models of depression depict depressed mood as a sense of experience of unhappiness and which may involve feeling of being fed up, sense of guilt, worthlessness, self-depression, listlessness and apathy (Reppere, 1994). Different clinical subtypes, such as duration, severity and the nature of the depression distinguish depression syndrome. According to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV), Major Depressive Disorder may be preceded by Dysthymic Disorder (10% in epidemiological samples and 15%-25% in clinical samples). Major Depressive Disorder (single or recurrent) is twice as common in adolescent and adult females as in adult males. In prepubertal children, boys and girls are equally affected. The prevalence rates for Major Depressive Disorder appear to be unrelated to ethnicity, education, income or marital status. Klerman & Weissman (1989) found that early-onset depression often persists, recurs, and continues into adulthood. Weissman, Wolk & Goldstein (1999) found that depression in young people often co-occurs with other mental disord...