STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS AND COPING STYLES IN RELATION TO DYSTHYMIA AND MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER - VARIATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH ALLEVIATION OF SYMPTOMS FOLLOWING PHARMACOTHERAPY

1. Both major depression and dysthymia (chronic, low grade depression) were associated with increased reports of minor stressors (daily hass les), and feelings of loneliness, reduced uplifts, as well as the use of inappropriate coping strategies (i.e., emotion-focussed rather than problem-oriented coping). 2. Although major depressive and dysthymic patients shared several features with respect to symptomatology, dysth ymics tended to report a greater number of hassles than major depressi ves. 3. Treatment with serotonin reuptake inhibitors over an I-week pe riod resulted in a marked alleviation of the depressive symptoms in bo th patient groups, although the clinical effectiveness of the drugs ap peared somewhat later in dysthymics. 4. The attenuation of the depress ive symptoms was accompanied by a modest, but significant diminution i n reports of minor stressors, while the perception of uplifts remained unchanged. Moreover, recovery from depression was associated with cha nges in coping style, such that patients relied less on inappropriate emotion-focussed coping strategies.