A SEVERE TEST OF INTERPERSONAL THEORY OF DEPRESSION AMONG CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS

We attempted to place Coyne's (1976) interpersonal theory of depressio n in grave danger of refutation among a highly specialized psychiatric sample (76 criminal. defendants referred for psychiatric evaluation). We assessed whether mood-disordered subjects scored lower on an index of social contact than nondepressed subjects. Consistent with interpe rsonal theory, depressed subjects obtained lower scores on the social contact measure than nondepressed subjects-to our knowledge, the first results to support the diagnostic specificity component of Coyne's th eory among a clinical sample. Number of co-morbid diagnoses was not si gnificantly related to social contact. It appears that Coyne's theory possesses explanatory power, even when subjected to a relatively sever e empirical test.