All consecutive individuals who consulted for the first time at the Department of Psychiatry A of Razi Hospital La Manouba, Tunisia, for signs and symptoms of depression were invited to take part in the study. Individuals were included when the clinician formulated a diagnosis of a current major depressive episode. Thereafter, the Mood Disorder Section of the Tunisian Arabic adapted version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR (SCID) was administered by one single researcher (UO) to confirm the diagnosis of Major Depressive Episode and to ascribe the episode to a unipolar or bipolar mood disorder. Resulting diagnosis was (BD) I or II in case a past manic or hypomanic episode were identified, and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in case no past manic or hypomanic episode were identified. Additional inclusion criteria were: aged between 18 and 65 years old; having the capacity of providing informed consent. Exclusion criteria were: illiteracy or other cause of inability to read; documented history of mental retardation; and cognitive decline.
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