Lack of Association Between Seasonality and Psychopathology in Psychiatric Outpatients

This study examined whether there were seasonal variations in rates of depression, bulimia & suicide. Diagnostic evaluations from 1500 patients presented to an American psychiatric outpatient program from 1995 to 2001 were examined. Results did not find significant seasonal variations. The authors conclude that the association between seasonality & psychopathology may not be discernable at the level of presentations to an outpatient psychiatric practice. (38 refs) (SC)