Table 2

Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics*

CharacteristicMajor depressive disorder (n = 63)Healthy controls (n = 46)p value†
Sociodemographic characteristics
 Age, yr42.43 ± 11.9145.35 ± 8.370.16
 Female, no.33220.64‡
Questionnaire scores
 Toronto Alexithymia Scale, 20-item form53.16 ± 10.4139.14 ± 10.74< 0.001
 Beck Depression Inventory17.66 ± 12.212.89 ± 3.12< 0.001
 Hamilton Depression Rating Scale11.33 ± 7.880.91 ± 1.35< 0.001
Clinical characteristics
 Inpatient treatments, no2.67 ± 1.93——
 Medication load index1.33 ± 1.64——

  • ↵* Findings are shown as mean ± standard deviation unless otherwise indicated.

  • ↵† Obtained using the unpaired 2-tailed t test, except where noted.

  • ↵‡ Obtained using the χ2 test.