Better prognosis for depressed patients if spouses agree reasons for their illness

A new study has found for the first time that depressed patients whose spouses agree with them about the reasons for their illness have a better outcome than those whose spouses do not.

Until now there has been little research into patients' beliefs about depression, and about the influence that these may have on the outcome of their illness.

There is some evidence that responses to treatment can be predicted if patients agree with the model of depression presented by their doctor. Another relevant factor has been thought to be the views of caregivers, such as the patient's spouse.

35 patients with major depression and their spouses were interviewed at the start of the study, and then again six months later. Beliefs about depression were measured using a Reasons for Depression (RFD) questionnaire, and an agreement rating for reason giving was generated by the number of items on the RFD where patient and spouse agreed that the reason for depression was present or absent.

An analysis was then undertaken to determine which combination of clinical and psychosocial variables best predicted the outcome of treatment of the depression.

It was found that after six months the percentage change in patients' depression scores was predicted by a history of recurrent depression, and by patient-spouse agreement on the reason for the depression.

The researchers comment that this is the first study to show that agreement between depressed patients and their spouses about the nature of the illness is an important factor in its outcome.