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Major depression and the self-criticism and dependency personality dimensions
R M Bagby1, D R Schuller, J D Parker
1Mood Disorders Program, Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, Toronto, Ont., Canada.
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|April 1, 1994
Summary
Depression treatment did not alter dependency or self-criticism personality traits. Recovered patients exhibited higher levels of these traits compared to healthy individuals, suggesting they are stable characteristics.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Depression is often associated with specific personality traits.
- Dependency and self-criticism are key dimensions explored in relation to mood disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between personality dimensions (dependency, self-criticism) and depression.
- To examine if these personality traits change with mood improvement or are stable characteristics.
Main Methods:
- The Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ) was administered to 52 depressed patients pre- and post-treatment.
- A comparison group of 22 healthy family practice patients was included.
Main Results:
- Neither dependency nor self-criticism showed significant changes with altered mood states.
- Recovered depressed patients demonstrated higher baseline levels of dependency and self-criticism than healthy controls.
Conclusions:
- Dependency and self-criticism appear to be stable personality traits, not significantly affected by mood changes in depression.
- Elevated levels of dependency and self-criticism may represent enduring characteristics in individuals with a history of depression.