The Frequency of Depressive Symptoms in a General Population with Reference to DSM-III

The frequency with which symptoms of depression are found among subjects with either a lifetime diagnosis of depression or dysthymia and among subjects with no psychiatric disorders, are analysed.

The data is derived from a large study (n=862) on the lifetime prevalence of mental disorders which was conducted in Iceland. The survey instrument was the NIMH-Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS). Results from 379 subjects are reported in this study, these subjects have either experienced a Major Depressive Episode (n=46), dysthymia (n=32) or have no psychiatric disorder (n=301). The frequency of symptoms are grouped together in hierarchical tables and displayed and analysed. In the hierarchical groupings of symptoms, males were found to report more grave symptoms of suicide than were females, both in the depression and dysthymic groups. In a comorbidity correlation between these and other disorders, sex differences emerged in the diagnosis of Tobacco Dependence, with women exhibiting higher frequencies of dependence when found in the depressed group.