Depression, communication styles, social skills and social functioning of patients with depressive disorders in outpatient psychiatric department, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital

Abstract

Background: Patients with depressive disorders often have problems with communication styles; 46.7% have impairments in social skills and 65.3% have impairments in social functioning. However, there are still relatively limited studies on communication styles, assertiveness, social skills, and social functioning, even though these factors are related to depression in patients with depressive disorders.

Objective: This study aimed to study depression, communication styles, social skills, social functioning, and factors related to depression of patients with depressive disorders.

Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study. The samples consisted of patients with depressive disorders who received treatment at the Outpatient Psychiatric Department, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, totalling 270 participants. Participants completed 6 parts of questionnaires by themselves, which are: 1) Demographic Data Form; 2) Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) – Thai Version; 3) Social Skills Inventory (SSI) – Thai version; 4) The Social Functioning Questionnaire (SFQ) – Thai Version; 5) Assertiveness Behavior Questionnaire for Self-Protection of Rights; and 6) Appropriate Assertiveness Scale.

Results: Most patients with depressive disorders (39.3%) had depression at a severe level, and the mean score of depression was 24.4 ± 13.3, which indicated moderate depression. Most patients (86.3%) had assertiveness communication styles, and the majority (68.5%) had assertiveness at a moderate level. Most patients (59.6%) had impairment in social functioning, and the majority (31.9%) had overall social skills at a moderate level. Factors related to moderate to severe depression included duration of treatment for depressive disorders ≤ 3 years (P < 0.05), age ≤ 30 years, average income ≤ 20,000 baht, low assertiveness, impairment in social functioning, very low to low social skills, low emotional expressivity, low emotional control, low social expressivity, and low emotional control (P < 0.01). Additionally, the predictive factors of moderate to severe depression were average income ≤ 20,000 baht, duration of treatment for depressive disorders ≤ 3 years (P < 0.05), Impairment in social functioning, low emotional expressivity, and low emotional control (P < 0.01).

Conclusion: Most patients with depressive disorders had severe depression. Most of the samples had assertiveness communication style in general situations, and had moderate appropriate assertiveness. Promoting assertiveness communication skills, social skills through interpersonal psychotherapy, and improving problems in social functioning can reduce depression in patients with depressive disorders.