The purpose of this study is to determine whether a brief form of counseling is more effective than usual care in treating patients with minor depression in the primary care setting. This study will also examine the relationship between patient characteristics (social support, adverse life events, personality traits, and comorbidity) and remission of minor depression.

Minor depression is one of the most common types of depressive disorders seen in primary care. The effectiveness and tolerability of antidepressants in patients with minor depression is unclear, and the development of alternative treatments is necessary.

In the first phase of this study, participants are observed for 4 weeks to identify those most in need of depression-specific treatment. Participants are then exposed to the Problem-Solving Treatment for Primary Care (PST-PC), a six-session behavioral treatment for depression. After 4 weeks, patients who do not respond adequately to the treatment are randomly assigned to either continued PST-PC or to usual care for 9 weeks. Participants are followed for 6 months after the study.

Ages Eligible for Study:  18 Years and above,  Genders Eligible for Study:  Both

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Primary care patient at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC)
• Hamilton Depression Score >= 10 and minor depression at time of entry and after 4 weeks of observation

Exclusion Criteria:

• Psychosis, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Active substance abuse
• Receiving treatment for depression