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Cited by 199Mental Health Treatment and AccessAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesMental Health Research Topics

How accurate is recall of key symptoms of depression? A comparison of recall and longitudinal reports

WELLS, J. ELISABETH, HORWOOD, L. JOHN·2004·Psychological Medicine
DOI 10.1017/s0033291703001843
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Abstract

Background. Assessment of lifetime major depression is usually made from a single interview. Most previous studies have investigated reliability. Comparison of recall of key symptoms and longitudinal reports shows the accuracy of recall, not just reliability. Method. At age 25, 1003 members of the Christchurch Health and Development Study cohort were asked to recall key symptoms of depression (sadness, loss of interest) up to age 21. This recall was compared with longitudinal reports at ages 15, 16, 18 and 21 years. Diagnosis was by DSM-III-R and DSM-IV criteria. Results. Only 4% of those without previous reports recalled key symptoms. Of those with a diagnosis of depression up to age 21, 44% recalled a key symptom. Measures of severity of an episode (number of symptoms, impairment, duration, suicidality) and chronicity (years with a diagnosis, years with suicidal ideation) all strongly predicted recall. Current key symptoms increased recall, even after taking account of severity and chronicity. Being female and receiving treatment also predicted recall, although odds ratios were reduced to 1·6–1·7 when all other predictors were included. Comparison of risk factors for key symptoms showed similar results from longitudinal reports and recall. Sexual abuse, neuroticism, lack of parental attachment, gender, physical abuse and maternal depression were major risk factors in both sets of analyses. Conclusions. Forgetting of prior episodes of depression was common. Severity, chronicity, current depression, gender and treatment predicted recall. Lifetime prevalence based on recall will be markedly underestimated but the identification of major risk factors may be relatively little impaired.

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Authors
WELLS, J. E., & HORWOOD, L. J.
ORCID
HORWOOD, L. JOHN
Venue
Psychological Medicine
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Published
2004-08
Volume
34
Issue
6
Pages
1001-1011
ISSN
  • 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-8978
DOI
10.1017/s0033291703001843
OpenAlex
W2104980152
Cited by
199
References
32
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 10
FWCI
9.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.cambridge.org/core/terms (unspecified, 12 d)
Locations
  • Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Research Foundation
  • Canterbury Medical Research Foundation
  • Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale
  • Health Research Council of New Zealand
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Mental Health Research Topics
Keywords
depression, recall accuracy, depression severity, chronicity of depression, suicidal ideation, risk factors for depression, sexual abuse, neuroticism, parental attachment, maternal depression, physical abuse, gender differences, treatment, Christchurch Health and Development Study
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Depression, Female, Humans, Interview, Psychological, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Medical History Taking, Mental Recall, Severity of Illness Index, Sex Factors, Reproducibility of Results, Cohort Studies, Prevalence

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