title: Double depression in adult psychiatric outpatients in Brazil: distinct from major depression?
abstract: This study examines whether distinct symptom profiles, patterns of comorbidity, and suicidal symptoms uniquely characterize individuals diagnosed with double depression (DD) by comparing Brazilians with DD to those with major depressive disorder (MDD). One hundred forty two psychiatric outpatients (ages 20-77 mean=48.8, S.D.=13.2; DD, n=23; MDD, n=119) participated in structured diagnostic interviews and completed self-report measures of depressive symptoms, suicidality, and family history of mental disorders. Patients with DD exhibited a more severe symptom profile than those with MDD, as evidenced by a higher number of depressive symptoms and more intense suicidal ideation. They also appeared to be qualitatively different from individuals with MDD, as evidenced by distinct comorbidity patterns, quality of life reports, and anhedonic features. These results may be important in understanding the phenomenology of DD in psychiatric outpatients by informing diagnostics, psychotherapy, and psychotherapeutic treatment of DD.
authors.affiliation: Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA.
authors.forename: Jill M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Holm-Denoma
authors.forename: Marcelo T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Berlim
authors.forename: Marcelo P A
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Fleck
authors.forename: Thomas E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Joiner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires