Atypical and non-atypical subtypes of depression: comparison of social functioning, symptoms, course of illness, co-morbidity and demographic features

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders Vol. 65; no. 1; pp. 75 - 79
• Main Authors: Agosti, Vito, Stewart, Jonathan W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.06.2001; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Atypical depression; Biological and medical sciences; Bipolar Disorder - classification; Bipolar Disorder - diagnosis; Bipolar Disorder - epidemiology; Bipolar Disorder - psychology; Chronic depression; Comorbidity; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Depressive Disorder - classification; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Depressive Disorder, Major - classification; Depressive Disorder, Major - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder, Major - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder, Major - psychology; Diagnosis, Differential; Dysthymic Disorder - classification; Dysthymic Disorder - diagnosis; Dysthymic Disorder - epidemiology; Dysthymic Disorder - psychology; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mood disorders; Nosology. Terminology. Diagnostic criteria; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales - statistics & numerical data; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychometrics; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Social Adjustment; Social functioning; Techniques and methods; Atypical depression; Social functioning; Chronic depression; Mood disorder; Human; Chronicity; Prevalence; Social phobia; Anxiety disorder; Social adjustment; Depression; Nosology; Bipolar disorder; Symptomatology; Concomitant disease; Criterion; Sociodemographic factor; Classification; Evolution; Atypical; Diagnosis; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-0327(00)00251-2

Background: There are scant data regarding the demographic and psychosocial characteristics of outpatients with Atypical Depression (AD). Methods: The demographic characteristics, rates of chronic dysphoria, baseline Symptom Check List Revised, and Social Adjustment Scale scores of 320 moderately depressed patients with and without AD were compared. Results: ADs had a higher number of self-reported symptoms, greater impairments in functioning, and higher rates of chronic dysphoria and bipolar II than patients without Atypical Depression (NAD). Limitations: Variables used in this study were mostly cross-sectional, and the analyses were performed post-hoc. Conclusions: These data suggest ADs had a more pernicious course of illness than NADs, and that patients with AD were more symptomatic and dysfunctional at admission.