Self-reported inability to cry as a symptom of anhedonic depression in outpatients with a major depressive disorder

To ascertain whether self-reported inability to cry would be associated with symptoms of anhedonic depression, the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory-II was administered to 1,050 outpatients diagnosed with a DSM-IV-TR major depressive disorder. 219 (21%) patients reported on the BDI-II Crying item that they were unable to cry, and 831 (79%) patients reported they were able to cry. Only BDI-II Loss of Interest was significantly associated with the inability to cry after the other BDI-II symptoms were controlled for using a multiple logistic-regression analysis. The inability to cry was discussed as an indicator of anhedonic depression.