Self-criticism, dependency and depressive symptoms in a nationwide sample of Norwegian physicians

This cross-sectional study examines the associations between dysfunctional beliefs concerning self-criticism and dependency and self-reported depressive symptoms in a nationwide representative sample of Norwegian physicians (N = 836). The dysfunctional beliefs were measured by the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS), and depressive symptoms by the "severe depression" subscale of the General Health Questionnaire. Women reported more depressive symptoms than men, whereas men reported more dysfunctional attitudes, especially concerning self-criticism. Both self-criticism and dependency were significantly associated with level of depressive symptoms in male doctors when age and their medical speciality were controlled, whereas no such relationship was demonstrated in female doctors, except for a bivariate association between depressive symptoms and two single indicators of dependency.