Depressed mood and major depressive episodes: differential responsiveness to psychosocial experiences.
In a sample of 64 remitted and discharged depressed in-patients the structure and quality of their social environment was examined in relation to the subsequent development of depressive symptoms. It is shown that mood-related symptoms were influenced by psychosocial factors, whereas vegetative and non-specific symptoms were not. Since the latter are rather more heavily weighted in the DSM-III criteria for Major Depressive Episode than in typical symptom sum scores, psychosocial variables did not predict DSM-III-defined clinical relapses. Possible implications for conceptualizing depressive disorders are discussed.
Veiel
H O
HO
Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Federal Republic of Germany.
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012008:Recurrence; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support