1. Is there a relationship between depression and crying? A review.
- Author
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Vingerhoets, A. J. J. M., Rottenberg, J., Cevaal, A., and Nelson, J. K.
- Subjects
CRYING ,MENTAL depression ,DATABASES ,AFFECTIVE disorders ,PSYCHOLOGY - Abstract
Objective: To conduct a systematic examination of the relationship between depression and crying by reviewing all relevant theory and empirical data including the performance of crying items in measures of depression. Method: Review of the extant literature on depression and crying using PubMed, PsychInfo and Google Scholar databases. Results: Scores on crying items of depression inventories correlate moderately with overall depression severity. Otherwise, there is surprisingly little evidence for the widespread claim that depression leads to more frequent and/or easier crying. There is also little empirical support for the competing claim that severely depressed individuals lose their capacity to cry. Conclusion: Current claims about the relationship between depression and crying lack a robust empirical foundation. Assessment instruments and diagnostic systems for mood disorders are inconsistent in how they handle crying as a symptom. Further work to investigate the causes and the context of crying in depressed patients is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2007
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