Clinical Evaluation of Hostility in Depression
MYRNA M. WEISSMAN M.S.W.1,
GERALD L. KLERMAN M.D.2, , and
EUGENE S. PAYKEL M.D., D.P.M.3
1 Research Associate and Chief Social Worker, Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 34 Park St., New Haven, Conn. 06519
2 Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
3 Consultant Psychiatrist, St. George's Hospital, London, England
Multiple assessments of hostility in 40 depressed women showed discrepancies in the expression of hostility in different situations. The depressed women were cooperative and not hostile at the initial interview, but they reported a moderate amount of hostile behavior to others. Comparison with a normal sample confirmed that the depressed women showed increased hostile behavior toward others. Moreover, hostility was greater toward those with whom the patient had a close relationship, particularly the spouse and children. The authors discuss these findings in the context of psychoanalytic theory and explore their implications for the adequate evaluation and formulation of a treatment plan.
