Author:
Brown George W.,Moran P.,Harris T. O.,Hepworth C.,Robinson R.
Abstract
BackgroundWe consider how well the psychosocial and clinical factors found to predict a chronic course for depressive episodes in the community, held for female psychiatric patients.MethodA consecutive series of depressed patients, aged 18 to 60, treated as in-patients, out-patients or day-patients at psychiatric departments of two London hospitals, were interviewed initially and at follow-up two years later.ResultsIndices of childhood adversity and current interpersonal difficulties predicted episodes taking a chronic course (of more than 12 months' duration). Half of the episodes associated with one or the other factor were chronic, compared with 22% of those with neither. The patients were at higher risk than the community series (75% v. 34%) and this explains their much greater rate of chronicity. There was also some evidence that social support reduced risk. Clinical features and the presence of a personality disorder were unrelated to chronicity.ConclusionsSimilar psychosocial factors are important for predicting chronicity in both community and patient series.
Publisher
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health
Cited by
118 articles.
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