Psychometric evaluation of severity of depression and personality characteristics of 20 dysthymic patients (mean age 29.05+/-7.08 ys.) was carried out using Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) and was compared with that of 20 major depressive patients (mean age 33.60+/-7.7ys.) and 20 normal controls (mean age 32.85+/-6.17 ys.). Psychosocial stressors that might trigger depression were also looked for. All first-degree relatives (118 persons) were subjected to clinical interview for detection of dysthymiEPQ was also applied to assess their personality characteristics. Depression among dysthymic patients was mainly of mild degree. Severe depression was found in about 55% of major depressive and none of dysthymic patients. Application of EPQ revealed high neuroticism among dysthymics and high psychoticism among major depressives. Lie scale was high for both groups. Psychosocial stressors were more reported by dysthymic patients; however they were of mild or moderate degrees. Stressors reported by major depressive patients were mainly acute and severe. Assessment of the first-degree relatives revealed that 66% of dysthymics' relatives had dysthymia or high EPQ scores compared to 36% of major depressives and 22% of normals.