The Levine-Pilowsky depression questionnaire was used to compare the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of depression in 176 patients admitted to a general hospital following a suicide attempt and 65 psychiatric in-patients with a diagnosis of major affective disorder. the study showed that despite significant age and sex differences there was a striking similarity between the groups on all measures of depression. Diagnostic and therapeutic implications of these findings are discussed, and further research directions are suggested.
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