THE PREDICTIVE VALUE OF DEPRESSION IN ANOREXIA-NERVOSA - RESULTS OF A7-YEAR FOLLOW-UP-STUDY

This study investigated the predictive value of depression in patients with adolescent anorexia nervosa. Thirty-four anorectic inpatients we re assessed for DSM-III-R comorbid major depression at admission and a t 3-year and 7-year follow-ups. Two standardized instruments, the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale , were applied to improve objective rating of depression. The findings suggest that severity of depressive symptoms at admission does not co rrelate with the severity of depression at follow-up, initial depressi ve psychopathology is not a valid prognostic indicator for the outcome of the eating disorder and at follow-up there is a highly significant relationship between depression and the outcome of anorexia nervosa. Patients with persisting eating disorder are also very likely to suffe r from comorbid depression.