The empirical status of melancholia: Implications for psychology

The concept of a subtype of depression with a biological rather than a psychological set of causes has been more prominent in the psychiatric literature than in the psychological literature on depression. There has been dispute as to whether research on melancholia supports the distinction of a separate subtype with a distinct symptomatic profile characterized by marked anhedonia, psychomotor difficulties, excessive guilt or hopelessness, suicidal features, and appetite and weight disturbances. Research suggests that individuals with melancholic depression are qualitatively different from those with non-melancholic depression in their symptomatology. Examination of biological functioning, personality traits, responsiveness to treatment, and suicidality also tend to support the melancholic-non-melancholic distinction. This paper reviews the status of the melancholia concept and explores its implications for psychological research and practice.