Quality of marital relationship and depression: Results of a 10-year prospective follow-up study

Background: - Although the long-term course of depression has been intensively examined, there are only few studies on the long-term development of depressed patients' spousal relationships. The aim of the study was to assess the quality and stability of depressed patients' spousal relatio...

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Main Authors: Kronmüller, Klaus-Thomas (Author) , Backenstraß, Matthias (Author) , Victor, Daniela (Author) , Postelnicu, Ilinca (Author) , Schenkenbach, Caroline (Author) , Joest, Katharina (Author) , Fiedler, Peter (Author) , Mundt, Christoph (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 2011
In: Journal of affective disorders
Year: 2011, Volume: 128, Pages: 64-71
ISSN:1573-2517
DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2010.06.026
Online Access:Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2010.06.026
Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032710004544
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Author Notes:Klaus-Thomas Kronmüller, Matthias Backenstrass, Daniela Victor, Ilinca Postelnicu, Caroline Schenkenbach, Katharina Joest, Peter Fiedler, Christoph Mundt
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Summary:Background: - Although the long-term course of depression has been intensively examined, there are only few studies on the long-term development of depressed patients' spousal relationships. The aim of the study was to assess the quality and stability of depressed patients' spousal relationships in the long-term course of depression and to identify predictors of relationship outcome. - Methods: - In the study, 50 inpatients with Major Depression were followed-up one, two and ten years after discharge from hospital and compared to a healthy control group matched by age and sex. Marital satisfaction was measured by the Terman item. Expressed Emotion (EE) was assessed with the Five-Minute Speech Sample (FMSS) and the Perceived Criticism Index (PC). - Results: - In the follow-up period of ten years, 26 patients (56.5%) had a recurrence. Ten years after discharge from hospital 8 couples were separated, 11 were unhappy and 26 couples were happy with their spousal relationship. The quality of marital relationship decreased over the follow-up period. In comparison to a healthy control group, patients showed a significantly worse quality of marital relationship at follow-up. Besides age and course of depression, the spousal EE status was a prognostic factor for the quality of the relationship after 10years. - Conclusions: - The results confirm the decrease of marital satisfaction over time in the long-term course of depression. Identified interpersonal predictors of the quality of spousal relationship in major depression could be used as indication criteria for couple therapy.
Item Description:Available online 2 August 2010
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Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1573-2517
DOI:10.1016/j.jad.2010.06.026