Severity of Depression, Cognitions, and Functioning Among Depressed Inpatients With and Without Coexisting Substance Abuse

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Investigators have proposed that the cognitive-bebavioral patterns of persons with the dual diagnoses of depression and substance abuse differ from those of persons with only one of the disorders. However, researchers have not investi gated these differences. OBJECTIVE: This study examined differences in severity of depression, cognitions, and adaptive functioning among depressed persons with and without coexisting substance abuse. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was used to compare depressed adult inpatients with (n = 31) and without (n = 32) coexisting substance abuse. RESULTS: Although both groups were found to be moderately depressed and limited in their functional ability, the dual diagnosis group was more severely depressed (F(1,60) = 4.05; p = .05), more limited in functioning (F(1,60) = 3.52; p = .07), and reported more depressive cognitions (F(1,60) = 7. 72; p =.01). The groups were similar in se verity of depression and adaptive functioning when the effects related to the depres sive cognitions were statistically controlled. CONCLUSION: The findings support the importance of using nursing interventions that involve cognitive restructuring to assist persons with the dual diagnoses of depressive illness and substance abuse to change their maladaptive ways of thinking to more healthy and adaptive thought processes. (JAM PSYCHIATR NURSES Assoc [1995]. 1, 55-60)