Display options
Cite
Andrews G, Brugha T, Thase ME, et al. Dimensionality and the category of major depressive episode. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 2007;16:S41-51doi: 10.1002/mpr.216.
Andrews, G., Brugha, T., Thase, M. E., Duffy, F. F., Rucci, P., & Slade, T. (2007). Dimensionality and the category of major depressive episode. International journal of methods in psychiatric research, 16S41-51. https://doi.org/10.1002/mpr.216
Andrews, Gavin, et al. "Dimensionality and the category of major depressive episode." International journal of methods in psychiatric research vol. 16 (2007): S41-51. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/mpr.216
Andrews G, Brugha T, Thase ME, Duffy FF, Rucci P, Slade T. Dimensionality and the category of major depressive episode. Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 2007;16:S41-51. doi: 10.1002/mpr.216. PMID: 17623394; PMCID: PMC6879076.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

Int J Methods Psychiatr Res. 2007;16:S41-51. doi: 10.1002/mpr.216.

Dimensionality and the category of major depressive episode.

International journal of methods in psychiatric research

Gavin Andrews, Traolach Brugha, Michael E Thase, Farifteh Firoozmand Duffy, Paola Rucci, Timothy Slade

Affiliations

  1. Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression, UNSW at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia. [email protected]

PMID: 17623394 PMCID: PMC6879076 DOI: 10.1002/mpr.216

Abstract

Major depressive episode (MDE) is a chronic disease typified by episodes that remit and recur. It is a major contributor to the burden of disease. The diagnosis of a disorder is an expert opinion that the disorder is present. The nine symptoms of MDE exist on dimensions of greater or lesser intensity, persistence over time, change in usual state, distress and impairment. It is the clinician's task to judge whether the elicited symptoms warrant the diagnosis. The surprise is that trained clinicians can do this reliably and that diagnostic interviews and questionnaires can emulate this process. The distribution of symptoms in community surveys is exponential, with no obvious discontinuity at the diagnostic threshold. Taxometric and primary care studies confirm this. The number of symptoms predicts severity, comorbidity, family history, disability, help seeking and treatment recommendations. The latent structure of mental disorders places MDE in the distress misery cluster. Measures of well-being, distress, disability and neuroticism correlate with the number of symptoms but the relation is not perfect. The Patient Health Questionnaire is derived from the diagnostic criteria and does not suffer this limitation. The introduction of measures like this would acknowledge dimensionality, would facilitate recognition, guide treatment, and be acceptable to consumers, providers and funders.

Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

References

  1. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998 Aug;55(8):694-700 - PubMed
  2. Br J Psychiatry. 2001 Feb;178:145-53 - PubMed
  3. Br J Psychiatry. 1988 Dec;153:741-51 - PubMed
  4. JAMA. 1999 Nov 10;282(18):1737-44 - PubMed
  5. Br J Psychiatry. 2005 Dec;187:495-6 - PubMed
  6. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005 Jun;62(6):617-27 - PubMed
  7. Br J Psychiatry. 2004 May;184:386-92 - PubMed
  8. Br J Psychiatry. 2002 Oct;181:306-14 - PubMed
  9. J Abnorm Psychol. 1998 May;107(2):179-92 - PubMed
  10. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 1996 Jan;66(1):17-31 - PubMed
  11. J Affect Disord. 1997 Aug;45(1-2):19-30 - PubMed
  12. Psychol Med. 2002 Oct;32(7):1195-201 - PubMed
  13. J Fam Pract. 2003 Feb;52(2):118-24 - PubMed
  14. J Gen Intern Med. 2001 Sep;16(9):606-13 - PubMed
  15. Am J Psychiatry. 2004 Jul;161(7):1264-9 - PubMed
  16. Br J Psychiatry Suppl. 1996 Jun;(30):76-84 - PubMed
  17. J Abnorm Psychol. 2000 Aug;109(3):473-87 - PubMed
  18. Eur J Epidemiol. 2005;20(1):103-11 - PubMed
  19. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1999 Oct;56(10):921-6 - PubMed
  20. Psychol Med. 1992 May;22(2):465-86 - PubMed
  21. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2004 May;109(5):325-31 - PubMed
  22. Psychol Med. 2005 Apr;35(4):489-97 - PubMed
  23. Psychol Med. 2006 Nov;36(11):1593-600 - PubMed
  24. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1997 Nov;54(11):1009-15 - PubMed
  25. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2007 Jan;41(1):17-23 - PubMed
  26. Br J Psychiatry. 1988 Dec;153:752-7 - PubMed
  27. Biol Psychiatry. 1997 Nov 15;42(10):948-55 - PubMed

MeSH terms

Publication Types