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Subclinical suspiciousness as a risk factor for depressive episodes
1Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland 21228, USA.
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
|May 1, 2001
Summary
Subclinical suspiciousness and some delusion-like experiences increase the risk of developing new depressive episodes in the general population. Hallucination-like experiences did not predict subsequent depression risk.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Epidemiology
- Mental Health
Background:
- Previous research links suspiciousness to depression in psychotic individuals.
- The relationship between suspiciousness and depression in nonpsychotic populations remains less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if subclinical suspiciousness predicts new major depressive episodes in nonpsychotic individuals.
- To examine the association between delusion-like and hallucination-like experiences and subsequent depression risk.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the longitudinal, population-based Epidemiological Catchment Area (ECA) study.
- Employed baseline clinical and demographic data to predict 1-year onset of depression in subjects without psychotic symptoms.
Main Results:
- Subclinical suspiciousness significantly increased the risk of new depressive episodes, even after controlling for demographics.
- Three types of subclinical delusion-like experiences were also associated with a higher risk of depression.
- Subclinical hallucination-like experiences did not predict subsequent depression.
Conclusions:
- Subclinical suspiciousness is a risk factor for depression in the general, nonpsychotic population.
- Certain delusion-like experiences may also contribute to the risk of developing depression.