Motivation to seek psychotherapy in patients with recurrent depressive disorder

Fifty-five hospital-treated patients with the ICD-10 diagnosis of recurrent depressive episode(s) were classified according to the Newcastle Depressiv e Diagnostic Scale as having either psychogenic (n = 25) or endogenous (n = 30) depression and interviewed using the Composite International Diagnosti c Interview and the Questionnaire for Assessment of Motivation to Seek Psyc hotherapy. The two groups were found to differ significantly from one anoth er in two Motivation to Seek Psychotherapy subscales ("layman's etiology" a nd "general expectations from therapy"). The motivation to seek psychothera py was greater in patients with psychogenic depression than in patients wit h endogenous depression. Nonetheless, psychotherapy is indispensable in tre ating endogenous depression, especially for patients under situational stre ss or at risk of suicide.