The Effects of Feedback on the Behavior of Depressed Inpatients in Two Structured Interactions

This study examined the responsivity of depressives' behavior to contingent social feedback within the framework of Coyne's and Lewinsohn's models of depression. Subjects included 10 depressed inpatients, 8 nondepressed psychiatric inpatients, and 10 nondepressed individuals. Each subject participated in two structured interactions with an experimenter in baseline phases and phases in which ongoing contingent feedback was provided by a pair of observers. The results revealed that the behavior of all three subject groups was responsive to the feedback in both interactions. The results are consistent with past research demonstrating social skills problems among depressed individuals but do not support the notion of a social skill deficit in depression. The results are consistent with Coyne's model of depression and suggest that the problematic social behavior often associated with depression may be modifiable by immediate veridical feedback from others.