objectives: to evaluate the frequency, presentation &impact on family dynamics of unspecified and specified depressive disorders in primary health care unit & in a psychiatric outpatient clinic in a general hospital.Setting: two areas:a)Byala city, a large city in Kafr el Sheikh governorate(200,000 population).b)Ebshan village,Byala,Kafr El-Sheikh governorate(28.000 population).Methods: two stages:1-study the prevalence of ubspecified depressive disorder among all attendants.2- study were grouped into two groups:a- 40 patients with unspecified &40 patients with specified depression were chosen by convenient type of sampling.3-40 control group free of neuropsychiatric disorder. Results: the frequency of unspecified depression is 11.73% in the primary care clinic, while 8.78% in psychiatric clinic, more prevalent among(45-64years), most commonly in females married(50.58%) unemployed, all of the most common symptoms of depression except anhedonia &depressed mood are encountered with those classified as unspecified depression, also significant family dysfunction are similar to specified one. Conclusion: unspecified depression constitutes a valid diagnostic subtype in a continum with specified depression