Interpersonal dysfunction in depressed women: impairments independent of depressive symptoms.
BACKGROUND
The study explored the generality of interpersonal impairments in depressed women and examined the extent of their independence of current depressive episodes or symptoms.


METHODS
812 community women who were formerly depressed, currently depressed, or never depressed were compared on a variety of indices of interpersonal behavior and beliefs. Information was also obtained from their spouses, adolescent children, and raters. Current depressive mood and sociodemographic factors that might affect social functioning were controlled.


RESULTS
Consistent with the hypotheses that interpersonal difficulties are not just consequences of depressive symptoms, formerly but not currently depressed women were significantly more impaired than never-depressed women on nearly all measures. They were less likely to be stably married, had poorer marital satisfaction, reported more spouse coercion and physical injury, had more problematic relationships with their child, friends, and extended family, reported more stressful life events with interpersonal and conflict content, and were more insecure in their beliefs about other people. Their spouses and boyfriends also reported more problems, and were themselves more likely to have diagnosable disorders. However, the groups did not differ in their children's perceptions of maternal warmth or hostility.


CONCLUSIONS
The cross-sectional design precluded conclusions about the causal direction of the relationship between interpersonal impairment and depressive disorder. Since clinical depression is more often than not followed by subthreshold symptoms that are not captured by standard diagnostic instruments, such symptoms are not easily discernable from preceding or co-existing interpersonal problems. Only women were studied.


CONCLUSIONS
Interpersonal impairment is a stable feature of depression, a significant challenge to treatment, and may reflect underlying vulnerability to the onset, and recurrence, of depressive experiences.
Hammen
Constance
C
Department of Psychology, University of California-Los Angeles, 405 Hilgard Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. hammen@psych.ucla.edu
Brennan
Patricia A
PA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires