AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN THE SYMPTOMATIC EXPRESSION OF MAJOR DEPRESSION

Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and Beck Depression Inventory res ults were examined in a consecutive series of 174 female and 83 male p atients, ranging in age from 18 to 81 years, admitted to a psychiatric hospital with a diagnosis of major depression. Items on the two scale s were examined to determine the relationship between age and the symp tomatic expression of major depression. Overall scores on the Hamilton scale revealed no relationship with age, but scores for males on the Beck Depression Inventory were negatively associated with age. In addi tion, the most prevalent types of depressive symptoms showed significa nt correlations with age. Items related to low self-esteem, such as gu ilt, sense of failure, self-accusations, and thoughts of suicide, show ed a negative relationship with age for both males and females. It is possible that psychological maturation or other age-related factors re duce vulnerability to low self-esteem during episodes of clinical depr ession; however, selection bias or a cohort effect cannot be ruled out with the current methodology.