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Categories of Depression: Reported Life Events in a Controlled Design

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

Traolach S. Brugha  and
Ronan Conroy
Traolach S. Brugha*
Affiliation:
M.R.C. Social Psychiatry Research Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF. St. Vincent's Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4, Ireland
Ronan Conroy
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, St. Vincent's Hospital
*
∗Correspondence
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Abstract

In a case control study, 32 onset cases of depression, separated into PSE-CATEGO Categories N and R, were compared with individually matched symptom free general practice attenders. Combining both categories of depressives together a significantly greater number reported an Undesirable Life Event and a Threatening Life Event in the six months prior to onset, compared with their matched controls. Significantly more CATEGO R (retarded or endogenous) depressives reported an Independent Threatening event than their matched controls. These findings do not support the view that depression secondary to a major life event is more likely to be mild in character.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 147 , Issue 6 , December 1985 , pp. 641 - 646
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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