title: Self-criticism versus neuroticism in predicting depression and psychosocial impairment for 4 years in a clinical sample.
abstract: The present study extended previous findings demonstrating self-criticism, assessed by the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS) (Weissman AN, Beck AT. Development and validation of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale: a preliminary investigation. Paper presented at the 86th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1978), as a potentially important prospective predictor of depressive symptoms and psychosocial functional impairment over time. Using data from a prospective, 4-year study of a clinical sample, DAS self-criticism and neuroticism were associated with self-report depressive symptoms, interviewer-rated major depression, and global domains of psychosocial functional impairment 4 years later. Hierarchical multiple regression results indicated that self-criticism uniquely predicted depressive symptoms, major depression, and global psychosocial impairment 4 years later over and above the Time 1 assessments of these outcomes and neuroticism. In contrast, neuroticism was a unique predictor of self-report depressive symptoms only 4 years later. Path analyses were used to test a preliminary 3-wave mediational model and demonstrated that negative perceptions of social support at 3 years mediated the relation between self-criticism and depression/global psychosocial impairment for 4 years.
authors.affiliation: S.M.B.D. Jewish General Hospital, Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry, Quebec, Canada. david.dunkley@mail.mcgill.ca
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Dunkley
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sanislow
authors.forename: Carlos M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Grilo
authors.forename: Thomas H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: McGlashan
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009497:Neurotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012649:Self Concept; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012938:Social Perception; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires