The relationship of dysfunctional attitudes to personality in depressed patients.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between dysfunctional attitudes and personality in depressed patients.


METHODS
One hundred depressed patients completed both the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS) and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI).


RESULTS
Scores on the DAS correlated with duration of depression, age of onset of depression, age, harm avoidance and self-directedness. In a multiple regression analysis three measures explained 45% of the DAS score. These were duration of depression, reward dependence and self-directedness. In both the univariate analyses and multiple regression the strongest predictor of dysfunctional attitudes was the character dimension of self-directedness.


CONCLUSIONS
The character dimension of self-directedness in the TCI which assesses an individuals' self-concept, relates highly with the dysfunctional attitudes score on the DAS. Given that the TCI assesses personality within a broader framework of a psychobiologic and developmental model, self-directedness may have a wider application as a measure of self-concept than the DAS.
Department of Psychological Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine, New Zealand.
S E
SE
Luty
P R
PR
Joyce
R T
RT
Mulder
P F
PF
Sullivan
J M
JM
McKenzie
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012647:Self-Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013694:Temperament