Do levels of dysfunctional attitudes predict recovery in major depression?

Abstract

Thirty-seven patients who fulfilled DSM-lll-R criteria for Major Depressive Disorder were recruited for a double-blind controlled trial of desipramine and placebo for 6 weeks. Initial levels of dysfunctional attitudes in the placebo group, particularly those related to achievement, were found to predict changes in Hamilton Ratings for Depression between the initial Hamilton scores and those at week 6 (Hamilton change scores) with the initial level of depression controlled for. For subjects taking desipramine, levels of dysfunctional attitudes did not predict Hamilton change scores. The findings suggest that dysfunctional attitudes impair spontaneous recovery from depression and that the effects of antidepressant drug treatment may obscure this effect. Recovery from depression may include a complex mixture of biological and psychological pathways. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.