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Cited by 326Genetic Associations and EpidemiologyMental Health Research TopicsAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

The Lifetime History of Major Depression in Women: Reliability of Diagnosis and Heritability

Kendler, Kenneth S.·1993·Archives of General Psychiatry
DOI 10.1001/archpsyc.1993.01820230054003
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: In epidemiologic samples, the assessment of lifetime history (LTH) of major depression (MD) is not highly reliable. In female twins, we previously found that LTH of MD, as assessed at a single personal interview, was moderately heritable (approximately 40%). In that analysis, errors of measurement could not be discriminated from true environmental effects. METHODS: In 1721 female twins from a population-based register, including both members of 742 pairs, LTH of MD, covering approximately the same time period, was obtained twice, once by self-administered questionnaire and once at personal interview. RESULTS: Reliability of LTH of MD was modest (kappa = +.34, tetrachoric r = +.56) and was predicted by the number of depressive symptoms, treatment seeking, number of episodes, and degree of impairment. Deriving an "index of caseness" from these predictors, the estimated heritability of LTH of MD was greater for more restrictive definitions. Incorporating error of measurement into a structural equation model including both occasions of measurement, the estimated heritability of the liability to LTH of MD increased substantially (approximately 70%). More than half of what was considered environmental effects when LTH of MD was analyzed on the basis of one assessment appeared, when two assessments were used, to reflect measurement error. CONCLUSIONS: Major depression, as assessed over the lifetime, may be a rather highly heritable disorder of moderate reliability rather than a moderately heritable disorder of high reliability.

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Authors
Kendler, K. S.
Affiliations
Virginia Commonwealth University (US)
Corresponding author
Kendler, Kenneth S.
ORCID
Kendler, Kenneth S.
Venue
Archives of General Psychiatry
Publisher
American Medical Association (AMA)
Published
1993-11-01
Volume
50
Issue
11
Pages
863
ISSN
0003-990X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1001/archpsyc.1993.01820230054003
OpenAlex
W2049890864
Cited by
326
References
19
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 21
FWCI
3.54
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Archives of General Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
major depressive disorder, women, twin studies, heritability, measurement error, reliability statistics, depressive symptoms, treatment seeking, depressive episodes, environmental effects
MeSH terms
Adult, Cross-Sectional Studies, Depressive Disorder, Diseases in Twins, Female, Humans, Models, Genetic, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Personality Inventory, Probability, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Regression Analysis, Severity of Illness Index, Twins, Dizygotic, Twins, Monozygotic, Reproducibility of Results, Models, Statistical, Episode of Care

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