Converging evidence for enduring perceptions of low social status in individuals in remission from depression

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders Vol. 294; pp. 661 - 670
• Main Authors: Gillard, Julia A., Gormley, Siobhan, Griffiths, Kirsty, Hitchcock, Caitlin, Dalgleish, Tim, Stretton, Jason
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.11.2021; Elsevier/North-Holland Biomedical Press
• Subjects: Case-Control; Community sample; Major depressive disorder; Remitted depression; Research Paper; Social status; Case-Control; Social status; Community sample; Remitted depression; Major depressive disorder
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.07.083

•Perception of low social status is a risk factor for depression.•Investigated social status in a community sample and a case control design.•BDI score associated with perceptions of low social status in a community sample.•Perceptions of low social status endured in clinical remission from depression. : The risk of depressive relapse and recurrence is associated with social risk factors that may be amplified by a submissive socio-cognitive profile. : In Study 1 we aimed to identify perceptions of low social status in a community sample (N = 613) with a self-reported history of mental health difficulties (n = 232) and, more specifically in Study 2 (N = 122), in individuals in clinical remission from depression (n = 18), relative to a never-depressed control group (n = 64), and relative to a group experiencing a current depressive episode (n = 40). : In Study 1, a total of 225 of the 232 participants in the self-reported mental health difficulties group opted to provide further information regarding their mental health history, of whom 153 (68%) reported a history of anxiety, 168 (74.7%) reported a history of depression, and 13 (5.8%) reported an unspecified mental health history. Elevated depressive symptoms were associated with perceptions of low social status which significantly differed between individuals with and without a self-reported history of mental health difficulties. In Study 2 we found enduring perceptions of low social status in remitted depressed individuals. : We were unable to discern between historical or current clinical diagnosis in the community sample of Study 1, as we were reliant on self-report. We were unable to explore the effects of medication or causal relationships between depressive symptoms and social status as the studies were cross-sectional in nature. : These findings suggest that evolutionarily rooted socio-cognitive profiles could impact affiliative processes and may confer increased vulnerability to future depressive episodes.