The relationship between premorbid neuroticism, cognitive dysfunction and persistence of depression: a 1-year follow-up.

In a previous report of patients with unipolar major depressive disorder, we found that deficits in autobiographical memory predicted depression levels over a 7-month interval. This follow-up examined predictors of recovery as defined by a period of 8 weeks with no or minimal symptoms of depression and examined the extra predictor variable, neuroticism. In a sample of 21 patients, episode duration was significantly correlated with high levels of premorbid neuroticism, dysfunctional attitudes and overgeneral autobiographical memories produced in response to emotionally negative cue words. When severity of depression was partialled out, high N score was significantly but independently correlated with each of these cognitive variables. The implication of these attitudinal and information processing biases were explored.