Table 1.

Selected sample of interview questions

General questions and prompts, at commencement of interview

Can you tell me what it is like, in general, to live with depression?

How long have you lived with depression?

The experience of first getting the diagnosis and initial treatment/support, if any

What effect, if any, has depression had on your daily life?

What effect, if any, has depression had on how you view yourself?

I'd now like to ask you about your understanding of self‐management, or self‐help, in the context of living with depression

Can you give me an idea of what self‐management (or self‐help) means to you?

Can you tell me the things you do, if any, that improve your quality of life?

Type of action/activity, how it was discovered, the effect it has had on physical, social, or emotional health

What helped you (i.e. enabled) to take these actions?

Anything that makes/made it difficult to take these actions (i.e. barriers)?

More specific questions and prompts concerning help‐seeking

How do you generally go about getting information about your health?

What professional treatment or support, if any, do you get for your depression?

Type of support

Enablers and barriers to help‐seeking

What effect, if any, do your financial circumstances have on the way you look after yourself?

What effect, if any, do you think a health professional's perception of your age might have on their beliefs about your ability or capacity to manage your depression?

What support, if any, do you get from others, like family members, friends, or neighbours, to assist you with your depression?