Subtyping major depression: a taxometric analysis

Taxometric procedures were used to test claims for the content and latent structure of 5 proposed subtypes of major depression: an endogenous form, sociotropic and autonomous forms proposed by A. Beck (1983), a self-critical form proposed by S. J. Blatt (e.g., S. J. Blatt & E. Homann, 1992), and a hopelessness form proposed by L. Y. Abramson, G. I. Metalsky, and L. B. Alloy (1989). Analysis of self-reported symptom and personality profiles of 531 consecutively admitted outpatients with a primary major depressive diagnosis sought to determine whether the clinical features proposed by the respective accounts systematically covary; which features are central to the respective latent structures; and whether these structures are discrete or continuous. Clear evidence for discreteness was found only for the endogenous subtype. The other proposed forms lacked internal coherence or were more consistent with a continuous or dimensional account.