Minor and major depression in the general population: does dysfunctional thinking play a role?
BACKGROUND
Although most research suggests that minor depression is part of a depression continuum, conflicting results have also been found. Moreover, little is known about dysfunctional thinking in minor depression and how this varies along the continuum. Especially, research on the form of dysfunctional thinking (ie, extreme responding) is lacking. We have addressed these issues by reporting results from a large community sample.


METHODS
Demographic, clinical, and cognitive factors (ie, content and form of dysfunctional thinking) were compared between minor depression (ie, 2-4 symptoms), major depression with 5 to 6 symptoms, and major depression with 7 to 9 symptoms. A large community sample (N = 1129) was used. Differences between the 3 subgroups were examined as well as linear relations between number of symptoms and factors marking the severity.


RESULTS
Most demographic variables did not distinguish the 3 depression status categories from each other. Clinical and cognitive factors acted in synchrony with the depression continuum.


CONCLUSIONS
Minor depression should be considered as part of continuum together with major depression. Not only the content but also the form of dysfunctional thinking seems to play a major role in depression. Extreme positive responding is more prominent in mild depression, whereas more severely depressed individuals have a general tendency toward extreme negative responding. This finding, if replicated, may have important implications for the cognitive theory of depression.
de Graaf
L Esther
LE
Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. l.e.degraaf@erasmusmc.nl
Huibers
Marcus J H
MJ
Cuijpers
Pim
P
Arntz
Arnoud
A
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001290:Attitude; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013850:Thinking; D055815:Young Adult