Health-seeking resources and adaptive functioning in depressed and nondepressed adults

Psychiatric mental health nurses remain challenged to develop theory-based strategies that assist depressed clients toward more productive, healthy lifestyles. This comparative study examined health-seeking resources, depressive symptoms, and adaptive functioning in matched groups of 63 depressed inpatients and 63 nondepressed adults. Results indicated high scores on measures of health-seeking resources correlated with high scores in adaptive functioning in both groups. Significant predictors of adaptive functioning were absence of depressive symptoms (nondepressed group) and learned resourcefulness (depressed group). Findings support Schlotfeldt's health-seeking model which explicates the significance of strengthening health-seeking resources to promote adaptive functioning.