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Life stress and symptom pattern in out-patient depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

E. S. Paykel*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, St George's Hospital Medical School, London
B. M. Rao
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, St George's Hospital Medical School, London
C. N. Taylor
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, St George's Hospital Medical School, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Professor E. S. Paykel, Department of Psychiatry, St George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE.

Synopsis

The relationship was examined between symptoms rated in a sample of out-patient depressives, and measures of life stress derived from a separate interview. There was an association between symptoms reflecting the endogenous–neurotic distinction and life stress. However, the association was relatively weak, and was mainly with total social problems at the time of presentation, rather than with life events at onset. These findings are consistent with other studies which indicate that the absence of prior life events and the presence of the endogenous symptom pattern are only weakly related.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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References

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