Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T05:20:45.428Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A Follow-up Study of Seasonal Affective Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Christopher Thompson ,
Sunil K. Raheja  and
Elizabeth A. King
Christopher Thompson*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Southampton, Royal South Hants Hospital, Southampton
Sunil K. Raheja
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Southampton, Royal South Hants Hospital, Southampton
Elizabeth A. King
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Southampton, Royal South Hants Hospital, Southampton
*
Professor Thompson, Department of Psychiatry, University of Southampton, Royal South Hants Hospital, Graham Road, Southampton S09 4PE
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Background

The long-term course of seasonal affective disorder has not been well studied.

Method

Using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM–III–R, we interviewed 75% of a sample of 124 subjects diagnosed from five to eight years previously as fulfilling DSM–III–R criteria for recurrent major affective disorder, seasonal pattern.

Results

In the follow-up period, 38% of the sample continued to fulfil DSM–III–R criteria for seasonal illness; 28% had recurrent major depressive disorder, but no longer displayed a seasonal pattern; 18% were completely well with no further depression; 6% had subsyndromal symptoms; and 5%, although not meeting DSM–III–R criteria for seasonal illness, were still displaying constant periodicity. A short duration of index episode and a high frequency of illness predicted a continuing seasonal course of illness.

Conclusion

Diagnostic criteria for seasonal affective disorder need to be further refined, possibly restrictively, if they are to be used to predict the future course of seasonal illness.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 167 , Issue 3 , September 1995 , pp. 380 - 384
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association (1987) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edn, revised) (DSM–III–R). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
American Psychiatric Association (1994) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edn). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
Endicott, J. & Spitzer, R. L. (1978) A diagnostic review: the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia. Archives of General Psychiatry, 35, 837–844.10.1001/archpsyc.1978.01770310043002Google Scholar
Leonhardt, G., Wirz-Justice, A., Krauchi, K., et al (1994) Long-term follow-up of depression in Seasonal Affective Disorder. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 35, 457–464.10.1016/0010-440X(94)90229-1Google Scholar
Rosenthal, N. E., Sack, D. A., Gillin, J.C., et al (1984) Seasonal affective disorder: a description of the syndrome and preliminary findings with light therapy. Archives of General Psychiatry, 41, 72–80.10.1001/archpsyc.1984.01790120076010Google Scholar
Spitzer, R. L., Williams, J. B. W., Gibbon, M., et al (1990) Structured Clinical Interview for DSM–III–R – Non-Patient Edition (SCID–NP, Version 1.0). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
Stinson, D. & Thompson, C. (1990) Clinical experience with phototherapy. Journal of Affective Disorders, 18, 129–135.10.1016/0165-0327(90)90069-KGoogle Scholar
Thompson, C. (1986) Seasonal affective disorder: experience in Britain. Clinical Neuropharmacology, 9 (suppl.) 4, 190–192.Google Scholar
Thompson, C. & Isaacs, G. (1988) Seasonal affective disorder – a British sample. Symptomatology in relation to mode of referral and diagnostic subtype. Journal of Affective Disorders, 14, 1–11.10.1016/0165-0327(88)90065-1Google Scholar
Thompson, C.Stinson, D. & Smith, A. (1990) Seasonal affective disorder and season dependent abnormalities of melatonin suppression of light. Lancet, 336, 703–706.10.1016/0140-6736(90)92202-SGoogle Scholar
Wirz-Justice, A., Bucheli, C., Graw, P., et al (1986) Light treatment of seasonal affective disorder in Switzerland. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 74, 193–204.10.1111/j.1600-0447.1986.tb10606.xGoogle Scholar
Yerevanian, B., Anderson, J., Grota, L., et al (1986) Effects of bright incandescent light on seasonal and non-seasonal major depressive disorder. Psychiatry Research, 18, 355–364.10.1016/0165-1781(86)90020-XGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.