The role of cluster B and C personality disturbance in the course of depression: a prospective study.
The association between personality disturbance and depression has been noted consistently. Prospective tests of personality's impact on the course of depression, however, are lacking. In a sample of 159 undergraduates who experienced at least one prospective depressive episode, dimensional scores for clusters B and C personality disturbance were examined as prospective predictors of four indicators of the course of depression: severity, episode duration, symptomatic chronicity and number of episodes. Cluster C personality disturbance, characterized by anxious and fearful features, predicted depression chronicity. Cluster B, characterized by dramatic, emotional and/or erratic features, predicted severity and duration of depression. The findings are discussed in terms of the possible mechanisms underlying the effects of clusters B and C, as well as implications for future research.
Department of Psychology,Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA. biacov@temple.edu
Brian M
BM
Iacoviello
Lauren B
LB
Alloy
Lyn Y
LY
Abramson
Wayne G
WG
Whitehouse
Michael E
ME
Hogan
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis; D001883:Borderline Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007174:Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010552:Personality Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012107:Research Design; D012649:Self Concept; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires