Clinical Depressions Among Negroes

In the psychiatric literature, depressions among Negroes have been associated more with somatic complaints and less with guilt and suicidal trends. To test this concept, a comparison was made of 31 Negro and 187 white depressed patients. Initial comparisons, controlled for social class, showed differences on six individual symptom ratings. Further analysis indicated that the principal difference lay in generally less severe illness among Negro patients rather than less specific features. Possible explanations are discussed.