DEPRESSION SPECTRUM DISEASE VERSUS PURE DEPRESSIVE DISEASE CLINICAL, PERSONALITY, AND COURSE DIFFERENCES

Abstract

In a group of 191 women selected on the basis of alcoholism or antisocial personality, vs. depression, in a parent, 105 probands fit into the depression spectrum group (parental alcoholism or antisocial personality) and 86 into the pure depression group (parental depression). Few differences were found between the presenting clinical pictures (including precipitating factors) of the 2 groups, but depression spectrum patients and pure depressive patients showed study differences in areas of personal problems, personality and course of illness. Depression spectrum patients were significantly less likely to have loss of interest in usual activities as a symptom at index admission. They were significantly more likely to have a history of sexual problems, to be divorced or separated before, to be described as irritable and to report having previously been depressed. They were significantly more likely to recover completely and have no relapse of depression. The pure depression group was significantly more likely to have depressed sisters, and suicide was much more frequent in their ill parents. Important personality and course differences separated depressive spectrum disease from pure depressive disease.