DOES THE DURATION OF ILLNESS BEFORE TREATMENT AFFECT THE TIME TAKEN TO RECOVER ON TREATMENT IN SEVERELY DEPRESSED WOMEN

This study examines the link between duration of depression before tre atment is introduced and the duration of depressive illness after trea tment in a population of 59 female psychiatric inpatients. Most women were suffering with severe depression and the majority had had previou s depressive illnesses, Calculation of the rank order correlation coef ficient demonstrated no significant correlation between the duration o f depression before initiation of treatment and the duration after tre atment was introduced. This finding is discussed in relation to other relevant studies.