Temporal evolution of stress in the year prior to the onset of depressive disorders

We investigate how the stress levels in a sample of patients with depressive disorders vary in the year prior to the onset of symptoms.

Observational study of the case/control type. Fifty patients whose first depressive episode began in the 6 months prior to the interview

The LEDS was applied to all the subjects. A calculation was made of the evolution week by week of stress throughout the year prior to the onset.

Notable differences were detected in the temporal profile of the stress between the depressive patients and control groups. The differences between them were especially far-reaching in the 26 weeks prior to the onset of the symptoms, with a tendency to increase in the 7 weeks immediately before the onset.