Background Stressful life events (SLE) may influence the illness course and outcome.
This study aimed to characterize socio-demographic and clinical features of euthymic
major depressive disorder (MDD) outpatients with SLE compared with those without.
Methods The present sample included 628 (mean age=55.1 +/- 16.1) currently euthymic
MDD outpatients of whom 250 (39.8%) reported SLE and 378 (60.2%) did not. Results
After univariate analyses, outpatients with SLE were most frequently widowed and lived
predominantly with friends/others. Moreover, relative to outpatients without SLE,
those with SLE were more likely to have a family history of suicidal behavior, manifested
melancholic features, report a higher Coping Orientation to the Problems Experienced
(COPE) positive reinterpretation/growth and less likely to have a comorbid panic disorder,
residual interepisodic symptoms, use previous psychiatric medications, and currently
use of antidepressants. Having a family history of suicide (OR=9.697;p=<=.05), history
of psychotropic medications use (OR=2.888;p=<=.05), and reduced use of antidepressants
(OR=.321;p=.001) were significantly associated with SLE after regression analyses.
Mediation analyses showed that the association between current use of antidepressants
and SLE was mediated by previous psychiatric medications. Conclusion Having a family
history of suicide, history of psychotropic medications use, and reduced use of antidepressants
is linked to a specific "at risk" profile characterized by the enhanced vulnerability
to experience SLE.
