DEPRESSION AND THE AGGRESSION HYPOTHESIS - A COMPARISON OF DEPRESSED INPATIENTS AND NON-DEPRESSIVE CONTROLS USING THE BUSS-DURKEE HOSTILITYINVENTORY

Purpose: The aim of this study was to prove the hypothesis that covert or inhibited aggression/hostility as described in psychoanalytic lite rature is part of the psychogenetic development of depression. Method: We compared 50 consecutively admitted depressed inpatients to 50 heal thy people of the regionally living general population, matched by sex and age, using the Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory. Results: Depresse d patients have significantly higher values in the BDHI subscales ''to tal aggression'', especially in irritability, negativism, resentment, suspicion and guilt, also in ''attitudional component'', ''inhibited a ggression'' and,,covert hostility''. No differences were found in ''as sault'' and,,indirect aggression'', controls got significantly higher values in ''verbal aggression''. A comparison of depressed patients wi th suicide attempts versus depressed patients without such behaviour s howed no significant differences. Conclusion: The psychoanalytic hypot hesis seems to be useful for depression but not for the suicidal behav iour of depressive patients.