Categories of Depression: Reported Life Events in a Controlled Design

In a case control study, 32 onset cases of depression, separated into PSE-CATEGO Categories N and R, were compared with individually matched symptom free general practice attenders. Combining both categories of depressives together a significantly greater number reported an Undesirable Life Event and a Threatening Life Event in the six months prior to onset, compared with their matched controls. Significantly more CATEGO R (retarded or endogenous) depressives reported an Independent Threatening event than their matched controls. These findings do not support the view that depression secondary to a major life event is more likely to be mild in character.