Psychomotor agitation and retardation in depressed patients

Boland, Anne Marie (1976) Psychomotor agitation and retardation in depressed patients. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF (Migrated (PDF/A Conversion) from original format: (application/pdf)) - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (13MB) [English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. (Original Version)

Abstract

This study was designed to find differences between Agitated and Retarded depressed patients on objective and subjective tests of psychomotor performance. It was also designed to note patterns of psychomotor performance in depressed patients so as to enable cross-study comparisons with established patterns for schizophrenic patients and normal subjects. -- The twenty-four subjects consisted of patients from the Waterford Hospital and from St. Clare’s Hospital who had recently been admitted with a diagnosis of depression. All were rated on an Agitation and Retardation Scale by clinical clerks or by a psychologist and were then tested on a Subjective Index of Psychomotor Retardation, on Tapping Speed, Purdue Pegboard and on Reaction Time. For the latter tests, Preparatory Intervals and Sound Intensity were varied under Irregular and Regular conditions. -- Agitation and Retardation scores were found to be positively correlated. This finding was discussed in terms of a possible relationship between the two syndromes in depressed patients and/or of a possible lack of rater experience. A Discrimination Function Analysis was applied to the items on both scales and two of the items were shown to be predictive of Agitation and of Retardation scores. When subjects were divided on the basis of these items, however, no significant difference was found between them on objective or subjective tests. -- Age was shown to be an important variable in predicting scores on the Subjective Index; when age was partialled out, Purdue Right Hand - Left Hand - Both Hands (RLP) score proved to be the only objective test which had significant predictive value. -- Patterns of responding as a function of Preparatory Intervals under Regular and Irregular conditions were found to be similar to those of normal subjects rather than of schizophrenic patients. This would seem to suggest different underlying causes for psychomotor impairment in depressed patients than in schizophrenic patients.

Actions (login required)

View Item