Social network and social support deficits in depressed patients: a result of distorted perception?

Many studies have indicated that depressed individuals show deficits in social network/social support. However, little attention has been paid to the extent to which the illness itself causes these deficits that, owing to the distortion of perception of depressed patients, might be experienced subjectively, but do not necessarily exist objectively. To examine this question, a prospective study was conducted with hospitalized depressed patients. In accordance with the assumption that the duration of illness has a special impact on social resources, the sample was divided into two groups: individuals with single episodes of depression (n = 25) and with recurrent depression (n = 25). At the beginning of hospitalization both groups showed massive deficits in social network/social support. Depressed individuals with single episodes showed fewer deficits, the more the depression improved. In contrast, such a covariation of severity of depression and the amount of experienced deficits was not found among the individuals with recurrent depression.