ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cognitive dysfunction and depression severity are key mediators of workplace adjustment in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). Herein, we sought to determine the extent to which measures of depression severity and cognitive dysfunction were associated with perceived global disability, workplace performance and quality of life. METHOD: A post hoc analysis was conducted using data from 260 participants with a diagnosis of DSM-IV-TR-defined MDD who were enrolled in the International Mood Disorders Collaborative Project (IMDCP) between January 2008 and July 2013. Measures of workplace function, global disability, depression severity, cognitive function, and quality of life were employed. These data were analyzed using a multiple variable linear regression equations. RESULTS: Perceived global disability was significantly predicted by clinical ratings of depression severity (ß=0.54), and perceived inattention (ß=0.24), accounting for 37% of the variance. In addition, perceived inattention (ß=0.58) and clinical ratings of depression severity (ß=0.18), were also significant predictors of perceived workplace productivity/performance, accounting for 38% of the variance. Finally, both clinical ratings of depression severity (ß=-0.54), and perceived inattention (ß=-0.18) were significant inverse predictors of perceived quality of life, accounting for 34% of the variance. CONCLUSION: The overarching finding in the analysis herein is that workplace performance variability is explained by subjective measures of cognitive dysfunction to a greater extent than total depression symptom severity. Conversely, total depression symptom severity accounts for a greater degree of variability in global measures of disability relative to cognitive measures. Treatment strategies for adults with major depressive disorder should address issues of cognitive dysfunction to improve workforce participation and performance.