H Baumeister1, V Morar. 1. Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Psychotherapy, Institute of Psychology, University of Freiburg, Germany. harald.baumeister@psychologie.uni-freiburg.de
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To examine and compare prevalence rates of subthreshold depression (SD) based on symptom count only as well as additional categorically and dimensionally operationalized clinical significance (CS) criteria. METHOD: Data were drawn from the German National Health Survey (n = 4181). DSM-IV-SD and categorically defined CS criteria were operationalized by means of the Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview, dimensionally defined CS criteria by means of the SF-36-mental component summary score (MCS) Scale. RESULTS: Four-week and 12-month prevalence rates of SD ranged from 0.7% (MCS-CS criteria) to 1.8% (symptom count) and 1.8% to 6.8% respectively. Prevalence rates of SD were lower than those of Major Depression (5.7% and 10.9%). Within linear regression models, the association between SD and health care utilization variables remained insignificant. CONCLUSION: Although prevalences rates of SD are bound to the CS criterion used, they are lower than for Major Depression. The use of a CS criterion is recommended to avoid pathologizing human behavior.
OBJECTIVE: To examine and compare prevalence rates of subthreshold depression (SD) based on symptom count only as well as additional categorically and dimensionally operationalized clinical significance (CS) criteria. METHOD: Data were drawn from the German National Health Survey (n = 4181). DSM-IV-SD and categorically defined CS criteria were operationalized by means of the Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview, dimensionally defined CS criteria by means of the SF-36-mental component summary score (MCS) Scale. RESULTS: Four-week and 12-month prevalence rates of SD ranged from 0.7% (MCS-CS criteria) to 1.8% (symptom count) and 1.8% to 6.8% respectively. Prevalence rates of SD were lower than those of Major Depression (5.7% and 10.9%). Within linear regression models, the association between SD and health care utilization variables remained insignificant. CONCLUSION: Although prevalences rates of SD are bound to the CS criterion used, they are lower than for Major Depression. The use of a CS criterion is recommended to avoid pathologizing human behavior.