Clarifying the role of interpersonal factors in depression chronicity froma cognitive perspective

Joiner's article (this issue) is a welcome contribution toward clarifying t he role of interpersonal factors underlying depression chronicity. We belie ve, however, that three issues need to be considered regarding an interpers onal research agenda. First, Joiner's proposal would benefit from a discuss ion of the evidentiary requirements that risk factors must meet. Second, ou r reading of the literature suggests that interpersonal processes interact with cognitive processes that involve the activation of depressive knowledg e structures and that these processes do meet criteria as a possible causal risk factor. Finally, Joiner's global concept of depression chronicity fai ls to recognize important differences in the mechanisms underlying each of the phenomena of episode prolongation, relapse induction, and recurrence as well as the changes that might occur in these processes with repeated epis odes.