Higher manifestation of depression has been repeatedly mentioned in an association with alcohol dependence in different studies. Aim of this survey was to find out about the intensity of depression at the time of intake to the treatment according to the results from structured psychometric instrument and to detect their possible predictive value in our conditions. We have conducted a descriptive study with Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-I) in a sample of 297 patients, who asked for the treatment due to alcohol dependence syndrome at the outpatient clinic of The Centre for Treatment of Drug Dependencies in Bratislava. There were 73 % males and 27 % females in the sample. The average age was 40.1 (± 11.1) years. The average score achieved in the questionnaire was 17.9 (± 9.5) points at the time of their entry to the program. The difference between sexes was not statistically significant. 57 % of the patients had depression according to the results of BDI at the beginning of the treatment. There was an average score of 20.8 (± 11.1) points at the beginning of the treatment among those (N = 39), who continued in an inpatient treatment later on. The primary depression has been diagnosed in 3 (8 %) of them during their stay and were treated with antidepressants. We have demonstrated in our findings, that despite of the fact that BDI score of the majority of patients with dependence on alcohol was within the limits of depression at the beginning of their treatment, it was predominantly secondary depression, where targeted biological therapy with antidepressants was not necessary.

Key words: depression – Beck Depression Inventory – alcohol dependence syndrome