Putting the ‘Disorder’ in Major Depressive Disorder: Is the Concept of Melancholic Depression Relevant in the 21st Century?

We analyzed a widely-popularized scale for assessing melancholic depression known as the Sydney Melancholia Prototype Index (SMPI). Using an online sample (N=420), we determined the scale lacked internal reliability through factor, and confirmatory LCAs. Results confirmed the melancholia construct was multifactorial, and there was no indication of a melancholia class.