The relation between perceived injustice and symptom severity in individuals with major depression: A cross-lagged panel study.

BACKGROUND

Perceived injustice has been associated with problematic recovery outcomes in individuals with debilitating health conditions. However, the relation between perceived injustice and recovery outcomes has not been previously examined in individuals with debilitating mental health conditions. The present study examined the relation between perceived injustice and symptom severity in individuals undergoing treatment for Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

METHODS

The study sample consisted of 253 work-disabled individuals with MDD who were referred to an occupational rehabilitation service. Participants completed measures of depressive symptom severity, perceived injustice, catastrophic thinking, pain and occupational disability at three time-points (pre-, mid- and post-treatment) during a 10-week behavioural activation intervention.

RESULTS

Regression analysis on baseline data revealed that perceived injustice contributed significant variance to the prediction of depressive symptom severity, beyond the variance accounted for by time since diagnosis, pain severity and catastrophic thinking. Prospective analyses revealed that early treatment reductions in perceived injustice predicted late treatment reductions in depressive symptom severity.

LIMITATIONS: The study sample consisted of work-disabled individuals with MDD who had been referred to an occupational rehabilitation service. This selection bias has implications for the generalizability of findings.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that perceived injustice is a determinant of symptom severity in individuals with MDD. The inclusion of techniques designed to reduce perceived injustice might augment positive treatment outcomes for individuals receiving treatment for MDD.