Hopelessness depression in depressed inpatients: Symptomatology,patient characteristics,and outcome

This exploratory study examined the association between level of hopelessness and specific depression symptomatology, patient characteristics, and treatment outcome. Results from 80 unipolar depressed inpatients suggested that high-hopelessness patients could be discriminated from low-hopelessness patients on hypothesized symptoms of depression, characterized by retarded initiation of voluntary responses (a motivational symptom) and sad affect (an emotional symptom). Moreover, high-hopelessness patients could be discriminated from patients low in hopelessness on the patient characteristics of greater suicidal ideation, social dysfunction, and cognitive dysfunction. Finally, compared to low-hopelessness patients, depressed inpatients high in hopelessness exhibited a poorer outcome to pharmacological and cognitive-behavioral treatment interventions.This research was supported by National Institute of Mental Health grants MH-35945 and MH 44778. Preparation of this article was supported by a grant from the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression. Portions of this article were presented at the 26th annual convention of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Boston, November 1992.