Social networks, social support and the type of depressive illness

Abstract

We hypothesised that there would be greater deficiencies in the quality and quantity of close personal relationship and social support in "neurotic" than in "endogenous" depressives, and that the relation between support and recovery would be stronger in the former. One hundred and thirty men and women who contacted hospital psychiatric services with depression were interviewed, and 119 (92%) reinterviewed after approximately 4 months. The association between the type of depression and deficiencies in social relationship was not impressive. However, differences were apparent in the prognostic implications of social relationship. For "neurotic" depressives, about half the social support variables assessed were significantly related to outcome, whereas the only significant predictor for "endogenous" cases was the presence of a close confidant. The results argue for further research on social support in clinical samples of acute depression.