[Are Depressed People Aggressive People? Differences Between General Population and Depressive Patients].

IntroductionThe study aimed to investigate the relationship between depression and aggression. Material and Methods681 depressive and non-depressive subjects of the general population as well as 132 depressive patients completed the Beck Depression Inventory Revised (BDI-II) as well as the Short Questionnaire for Gathering Factors of Aggressiveness (K-FAF). ResultsDepressive patients and depressive subjects of the general population did not merely report the highest levels of self-aggressiveness but also reached the highest scores on the scales of reactive and proactive aggression, indicating a high level of externalizing aggressiveness. DiscussionThe results support the neurobiological approach of the etiology of depressive disorders. Conclusions For future research of depressive disorders and aggression the investigation of the mediating roles of a low serotonin-level is recommended.