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Nosological validity of dysthymia. Part I: historical, epidemiological and clinical data

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

L Waintraub  and
JD Guelfi
L Waintraub
Affiliation:
Paris V, Cochin-Port-Royal University, CHS Paul Guiraud, 54 Avenue de la République, 94806 Villejuif cedex, France
JD Guelfi
Affiliation:
Paris XI University, Hôpital Paul Brousse, 94804 Villejuif cedex, France
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Summary

Dysthymia is the last diagnostic label introduced after a series of precursors to describe a disorder whose nosological status has long been dubious. The results of published epidemiological, as well as clinical studies about its presentation, course and outcome partly support the validity of this construct — although their interpretation is limited by methodological difficulties: same prevalence in many locations in the world, always lower than that of major depression, somewhat specific clinical pattern, course and outcome.

Keywords

dysthymiavalidityepidemiologyclinical data

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 13 , Issue 4 , July 1998 , pp. 173 - 180
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier, Paris 1998

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