receiving antidepressant
treatment. Patients were excluded
if they (1) were actively suicidal;
(2) met Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition
(DSM-IV) criteria for one of the following
disorders: organic mental disorders,
substance use disorders; bipolar
disorder; schizophrenia; delusional disorder;
or current psychotic disorders; (3)
had a positive urine drug screen associated
with use of toxic substances; (4)
had a medical condition associated with
depressive symptomatology, ie, hypothyroidism.
All patients gave informed
consent to participate in the study, and
the study protocol was approved by the
institutional review board at each of the
3 collaborating centers. Participants selfidentified
their racial and ethnic status.
These data were obtained and tracked
across the study in an effort to achieve
racial and ethnic diversity of participants
with the hope that enhanced diversity
among the target sample would
enhance the generalizability of the study
findings.