Are depression and suffering distinct? An empirical analysis

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Mental Health
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Depression and subjective suffering are distinct yet often overlapping forms of psychological distress.
• Understanding their unique and combined impact on well-being is crucial for targeted interventions.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated the differential effects of depression and suffering.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide empirical evidence distinguishing between depression and subjective suffering.
• To examine the impact of concurrent and non-concurrent depression and suffering on various well-being dimensions.
• To investigate the relationship between the severity of depression and suffering and overall well-being.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study of 4,652 flight attendants.
• Correlational analyses of depression and suffering with 15 well-being indices (physical, emotional, psychological, social, financial).
• Regression analyses comparing well-being across four groups based on depression and suffering severity.

Main Results:

• Depression showed stronger correlations with worse well-being across most indices compared to suffering.
• A significant positive correlation existed between depression and suffering, but non-concurrent cases were also observed.
• The group with moderate-severe depression and moderate-severe suffering reported the lowest well-being across all measured indices.

Conclusions:

• Findings support the distinction between depression and subjective suffering as separate constructs.
• Concurrent moderate-severe depression and suffering appear more detrimental to well-being than either condition in isolation.
• Tailored interventions addressing both depression and suffering may be necessary for comprehensive well-being improvement.