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Assessing Demoralization and Depression in the Setting of Medical Disease
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the presence of demoralization and major depression in the setting of medical disease. METHOD: 807 consecutive outpatients recruited from different medical settings (gastroenterology, cardiology, endocrinology, and oncology) were assessed according to DSM-IV criteria and Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research, using semistructured research interviews. RESULTS: Demoralization was identified in 245 patients (30.4%), while major depression was present in 135 patients (16.7%). Even though there was a considerable overlap between the 2 diagnoses, 59 patients (43.7%) with major depression were not classified as demoralized, and 169 patients (69.0%) with demoralization did not satisfy the criteria for major depression. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a high prevalence of demoralization in the medically ill and the feasibility of a differentiation between demoralization and depression. Further research may determine whether demoralization, alone or in association with major depression, entails prognostic and clinical implications.
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“In patients with cancer [41-45] and other medical diseases [46], there may be frequent overlaps between demoralization and depression, but demoralization can occur independently of depression and the two conditions are not necessarily linked by a hierarchical connection.”
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“In patients with cancers [68,75–78] and other medical diseases [79], demoralization and depression may frequently overlap; however, the former can occur independent of the latter.”
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“0% of those with DCPR demoralization did not reach the criteria for major depression [44].”
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de Figueiredo, J. M. (2014) · International Journal of Culture and Mental Health · doi:10.1080/17542863.2014.892522 · Cited by 8
“…and mental disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder; a prodromal phase of many mental disorders; and a trigger for an ensuing episode of major depression (Clarke, Kissane, Trauer, & Smith, 2005; Kohn, 2013; Link & Dohrenwend, 1980; Mangelli et al., 2005; Porcelli & Rafanelli, 2010).”
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“feeling of having failed to meet one’s own expectations or those of other people; feeling unable to cope with a current urgent problem; feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and/ or giving up), according to the Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research (DCPR),(8) rather than major depression, according to the D…”
BackgroundSelf-citationAmbiguity at the crossroads of psychiatry and demoralization: Reflections and possibilities
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Metadata
- Authors
- Mangelli, L., Fava, G. A., Grandi, S., Grassi, L., Ottolini, F., Porcelli, P., Rafanelli, C., Rigatelli, M., & Sonino, N.
- Affiliations
- University of Bologna (IT)
- Venue
- The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc
- Published
- 2005-03-15
- Volume
- 66
- Issue
- 03
- Pages
- 391-394
- ISSN
- 0160-6689 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2170980087
- Cited by
- 158
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 6.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) (submittedVersion)
- IRIS UNIMORE (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Institutional Research Information System University of Ferrara (University of Ferrara) (submittedVersion)
- Padua Research Archive (University of Padova) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History and Philosophy of Science › Medicine, History, and Philosophy
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology (medical) › Treatment of Major Depression
- Keywords
- demoralization, major depressive disorder, disease, psychiatric comorbidity, prevalence, psychosomatic medicine, diagnostic overlap
- MeSH terms
- Adjustment Disorders, Attitude to Health, Depressive Disorder, Female, Health Status, Humans, Italy, Male, Middle Aged, Outpatients, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Stress, Psychological, Prevalence
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