The authors used a questionnaire to assess presence and persistence of
16 depression-associated symptoms in two inpatient groups and a random
community sample. Nondepressed inpatients were more likely than the
community population to experience psychological symptoms of depression,
but persistence of the symptoms was the same for both groups. In contrast,
significantly more depressed patients than community respondents indicated
presence for all but 2 symptoms and persistence for all but 1. Thus
persistence of symptoms may be more specific to depression than mere
presence.Abstract Teaser