Symptom Profiles of Major Depressive Disorder and Their Correlates among a Nationally Representative Sample

Abstract

Previous research suggests a need for improved matching of treatment delivery to specificity of depressive symptoms. Social work practitioners in mental health treatment settings may begin to meet this need through improved classification of symptoms associated with major depressive disorder (MDD). This study seeks to establish empirically derived MDD symptom profiles among individuals who experience major depressive episodes (MDEs). Data from the National Institute of Mental Health Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys examined symptoms of MDD among respondents with a past-year MDE (N = 1,543). Latent class analysis established symptom profiles, and multinomial regression models examined social and clinical correlates of symptom profiles. Four symptom profiles emerged: high cognitive functioning (3.8%), absolute depression (63.7%), diminished cognitive functioning and low suicidal ideation (24.7%), and diminished cognitive functioning and high suicidal ideation (7.7%). Regression models showed that race or ethnicity, age, and histories of posttraumatic stress disorder were correlates of class membership. MDD profiles may assist social work research and practice through improved assessment of cognition and suicidality and improved recognition of how clinical factors, including co-occurring mental health problems, relate to specific MDD profiles.