There is considerable interest in the relationship between interpersonal relationships and mood disorders. The Intimate Bond Measure (IBM) assesses the respondent's perception of their partner over recent times. IBM care scores have been reported to be independent of depression severity and personality, to distinguish between melancholic and non-melancholic depressives, and to predict treatment outcome. In a sample of 105 depressed patients, IBM care measures were independent of depression severity and personality measures, but they did not distinguish between melancholic and non-melancholic depressives, and did not predict treatment outcome. When the sample was restricted to individuals who had been previously treated, IBM care measures did distinguish between melancholic and non-melancholic depressives, although they still did not predict treatment outcome. Possible implications of these findings are discussed.