Clinical and personality correlates of outcome in depressive disorders in a Turkish sample.

Effects of clinical and personality traits on the course of depression were investigated after a mean period of 30 months. 66 out of 119 depressive patients (according to DSM-III-R and ICD-10 diagnostic criteria) were re-assessed by the same clinicians of the index episode. Schedule for Standardized Assessment of Depressive Disorders (SADD) was the main instrument for the initial phase; the follow-up schedule of SADD was used for the second phase. In both phases personality was evaluated by Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). Severity of the disorder was assessed by Beck Depression Inventory. We found a chronicity rate of 9.1%, recurrence rate of 31.8%. Common features of chronic depressives were female sex, being over 30 years of age, gradual and late onset, presence of anxiety and multiple life events. EPQ results of the subjects who were free of depression were compared at the follow-up assessment. The remitted recurrent depression group showed significantly lower neuroticism scores than remitted single depression group. Neurotic depression subgroup was significantly associated with higher neuroticism scores.