The subcategorization of nonpsychotic depression in behavioral and nonbehavioral research.

In terms of the traditional dichotomy it has been relatively easy to make assured diagnoses of endogenous depression, but not of neurotic depression. In consequence, some have suggested that the diagnosis of neurotic depression be dropped and that the cases previously so categorized be recognized as heterogeneous nonpsychotic depressions. Nevertheless, numerous behavioral outcome studies have treated groups of nonpsychotic depressions as homogeneous. The present investigation compared the incidence of this usage in behavioral and nonbehavioral studies. It was found that behavioral workers are 2.5 times as likely as nonbehavioral workers to ignore the heterogeneity. Attention is drawn to the practicality of positive diagnosis of neurotic depression.