title: Understanding the non-pharmacological correlates of self-reported efficacy of antidepressants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the non-pharmacological correlates of the perceived effectiveness of antidepressants (ADs), thereby enhancing understanding of the mechanisms involved in recovery from depression while taking ADs.
  
  
  METHODS
  An online survey was completed by 1781 New Zealand adults who had taken ADs in the previous 5 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 18 psychosocial variables measured were associated with depression reduction, and 16 with improved quality of life (QoL). Logistic regression models revealed that the quality of the relationship with the prescriber was related to both depression reduction and improved QoL. In addition, depression reduction was related to younger age, higher income, being fully informed about ADs by the prescriber, fewer social causal beliefs for depression and not having lost a loved one in the 2 months prior to prescription. Furthermore, both outcome measures were positively related to belief in 'chemical' rather than 'placebo' effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are multiple non-pharmacological processes involved in recovery while taking ADs. Enhancing them, for example focusing on the prescriber-patient relationship and giving more information, may enhance recovery rates, with or without ADs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Sciences, Swinburne, University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Read
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cartwright
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shiels
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dowrick
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gabbay
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003469:Culture; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D015990:Placebo Effect; D011788:Quality of Life; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents
keywords: antidepressants; causal beliefs; depression; non-specific effects; therapeutic relationship