ABSTRACT
The syndrome of depression has the dubious distinction of being one of the most prevalent forms of emotional disorder in the world (Murray and Lopez 1996). The lifetime risk for developing an episode of major depressive disorder is approximately 10 per cent for men and 20 per cent for women (McGrath et al. 1990; Sturt, Kumakura and Der 1984). Nearly 80 per cent of people who experience a single episode of depression will experience at least one more episode during their lifetime (Judd 1997). As well, the experience of each additional episode increases the chances of having a subsequent episode (Judd et al. 1998). The ubiquity and chronic nature of this syndrome has spurred the development of several effective psychological treatments (Beckham 1990). However, with evidence that recurrent bouts of depression become more likely with subsequent episodes, with up to 20 per cent of individuals becoming chronically depressed after two episodes, there is a growing need for treatments that address not just the resolution of the current episode of depression but the ongoing vulnerability patients face of suffering a relapse or recurrence (Keller et al. 1983; Segal and Dobson 1992).
