[Expectations of the patient and attitudes toward treatment as predictive factors in the clinical course of affective disorders].

The effect of antidepressant treatment was evaluated in a group of outpatients with symptoms of depressive illness ("dysthymic disorder" and "major depression", according to DSM-III criteria) with regard to the expectations they had for the results of the therapy. Therefore, patient ideas about the efficacy of the treatment, psychiatrist capability, duration of illness and other factors were analyzed. The clinical status of the patients was studied at the 1st visit, 2nd visit (a week later), and 3rd visit (3 weeks later). The patients were included in one of the followings three groups: "good responders", "moderate responders", and "bad responders". Data were analyzed statistically to show the correlation between patients expectations and attitudes toward the treatment, and clinical outcome.