Does the family "need" depression? A pilot study of family consultations.

Objectives: The aim of the presented study was to analyse associations between drug-resistant depression and the way the illness is described by patients and members of their families. In particular, a hypothesis to be verified was that being ill may be a factor stabilising the family system, and consequently treatment of this kind of depression may encounter additional difficulties and enforce "drug-resistance" by "sustaining depression" by the family.

Methods: The study included 20 patients and their families.