Abstract

We derived five heterogeneous subtypes for 473 Korean depressive disorder patients through a latent profile analysis using the specific problems scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF), which we used in a previous study (Choi, 2019). In this study, we attempted to confirm the clinical usefulness of specific problem scales by comparing the drug prescription patterns of the five derived subtypes: mild, helpless, somatic, avoidant with anxiety, and irritable with anxiety. Through retrospective medical records of 473 patients with depressive disorder, we investigated their demographic variables, hospitalizations, and prescriptions during the initial, third, and sixth months of treatment. There was a significant difference among the groups in the number of antidepressants prescribed initially and in the third months of treatment. Additionally, we noted differences in antipsychotics prescription in months three and six and sedative/hypnotics prescription in month six. The study results confirmed that the subtypes of depressive disorder based on specific problem scales of the MMPI-2-RF were associated with prescription patterns and clinical course. This finding suggests that subtyping based on multidimensional symptoms, not just the main symptoms of depression, may be useful in establishing a focused treatment plan tailored to the individual characteristics of patients in the initial phase of treatment.