Life Events and Depression

Abstract

A sample of 200 depressed patients (100, males, 100 females was matched on socio demographic variable with an equal number of control subjects. The frequency of occurrence of life events in the 12 months immediately prior to onset of depression was compared with a compared with a comparable twelve-month period in control population. Results of this controlled comparison indicated a general excess of life events prior to the onset of depression. Analysis of different categories of events showed that event involving finances affects patients more which is 61%in case of males, 73% in females, next event hit more our patients is job problems which is 37% in males and 4% in females. Third life event is relationship difficulties, which are more in females 54%, and 26% is males. Illness life event affected 14% males and 21% females. The legal issues affected 13% males and 5% in females. The last life event separations/ deaths affected more females which is 23% and 6% males; these findings supports the importance of life events in genesis of depression. The methodological limitations of life events research like measurement difficulties, reliability of the measures, selective recalls while reporting and selection of events in questionnaire or interviews also need consideration. Field needs to more towards exploration of underlying mechanism and interaction with other factors.