The effects of life events and social relationships on the course of major depression.

Concern about the accuracy of risk factor and mental status assessments argues for the need for more experimental research design studies on social factors in the course of depression. Gender and the history of disorder may need to be taken into account in examining the effects of adversity, interpersonal relationships, and social support on the future course of depression. This insight may be particularly critical in relation to intervention studies in which the group targeted may determine the potential for effectiveness so that negative results are not wrongly generalized to wider populations that could potentially benefit if studied. Interventions to improve mental health by providing social support have generally failed to show the enduring benefits suggested by observational studies. However, interventions that modify interpersonal functioning, which may improve the way persons perceive and value support from others, appear more promising.