What is this thing called “SAD”? A critique of the concept of seasonal affective disorder
Summary Background – Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is supposed to be caused by lack of daylight in winter. Yet the population of Northern Norway, living without sun for two winter months, does not spontaneously complain about depression during the dark period. Aims – To summarize research bearin...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1121189x00002815 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1121189X00002815 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s1121189x00002815 2023-05-15T17:43:21+02:00 What is this thing called “SAD”? A critique of the concept of seasonal affective disorder Hansen, Vidje Skre, Ingunn Lund, Eiliv 2008 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1121189x00002815 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1121189X00002815 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale volume 17, issue 2, page 120-127 ISSN 1121-189X 2038-1816 Psychiatry and Mental health Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health journal-article 2008 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s1121189x00002815 2022-12-12T09:13:19Z Summary Background – Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is supposed to be caused by lack of daylight in winter. Yet the population of Northern Norway, living without sun for two winter months, does not spontaneously complain about depression during the dark period. Aims – To summarize research bearing upon the validity of the concept of SAD. Method – Review of relevant literature concerning the epidemiology of SAD and the questionnaire developed to measure it in general populations, the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). Results – Large population studies from northern Norway do not point to a higher prevalence of depression in winter than expected in any other general population. The psychometric properties of SPAQ are rather poor, and the diagnosis of SAD based on SPAQ bears little relationship to a meaningful concept of depression. Conclusions – Seasonal Affective Disorder is not a valid medical construct. Instead, “Recurrent depression with seasonal pattern” as defined in the DSM-IV and the ICD-10 should be used as terms. However, more research is needed to establish whether it is at all fruitful to single out such a subtype of recurrent depression. Declaration of Interest : None. Article in Journal/Newspaper Northern Norway Cambridge University Press (via Crossref) Norway Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale 17 2 120 127 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press (via Crossref) |
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crcambridgeupr |
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English |
topic |
Psychiatry and Mental health Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health |
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Psychiatry and Mental health Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health Hansen, Vidje Skre, Ingunn Lund, Eiliv What is this thing called “SAD”? A critique of the concept of seasonal affective disorder |
topic_facet |
Psychiatry and Mental health Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health |
description |
Summary Background – Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is supposed to be caused by lack of daylight in winter. Yet the population of Northern Norway, living without sun for two winter months, does not spontaneously complain about depression during the dark period. Aims – To summarize research bearing upon the validity of the concept of SAD. Method – Review of relevant literature concerning the epidemiology of SAD and the questionnaire developed to measure it in general populations, the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). Results – Large population studies from northern Norway do not point to a higher prevalence of depression in winter than expected in any other general population. The psychometric properties of SPAQ are rather poor, and the diagnosis of SAD based on SPAQ bears little relationship to a meaningful concept of depression. Conclusions – Seasonal Affective Disorder is not a valid medical construct. Instead, “Recurrent depression with seasonal pattern” as defined in the DSM-IV and the ICD-10 should be used as terms. However, more research is needed to establish whether it is at all fruitful to single out such a subtype of recurrent depression. Declaration of Interest : None. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hansen, Vidje Skre, Ingunn Lund, Eiliv |
author_facet |
Hansen, Vidje Skre, Ingunn Lund, Eiliv |
author_sort |
Hansen, Vidje |
title |
What is this thing called “SAD”? A critique of the concept of seasonal affective disorder |
title_short |
What is this thing called “SAD”? A critique of the concept of seasonal affective disorder |
title_full |
What is this thing called “SAD”? A critique of the concept of seasonal affective disorder |
title_fullStr |
What is this thing called “SAD”? A critique of the concept of seasonal affective disorder |
title_full_unstemmed |
What is this thing called “SAD”? A critique of the concept of seasonal affective disorder |
title_sort |
what is this thing called “sad”? a critique of the concept of seasonal affective disorder |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1121189x00002815 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1121189X00002815 |
geographic |
Norway |
geographic_facet |
Norway |
genre |
Northern Norway |
genre_facet |
Northern Norway |
op_source |
Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale volume 17, issue 2, page 120-127 ISSN 1121-189X 2038-1816 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s1121189x00002815 |
container_title |
Epidemiologia e Psichiatria Sociale |
container_volume |
17 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
120 |
op_container_end_page |
127 |
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1766145402857324544 |