Temperament and melancholic type: path analysis of a prospective study of depressive mood change in a nonclinical population.
BACKGROUND
Recent studies suggest that mood-disorder-related personality traits predict depressive mood changes (DMC) in nonclinical populations.


METHODS
In this study we examined the predictability of DMC in a nonclinical sample consisting of 351 Japanese company employees, with temperament and melancholic type personality as measured by the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego and the Munich Personality Test. We also analyzed the mediating roles of dysfunctional attitudes and coping styles. Subjects were assessed for depressive mood, temperament and personality traits in May 2002 (time 1) and May 2004 (time 2), and dysfunctional attitudes and coping styles at time 2.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of hierarchical multiple regressions showed that depressive, cyclothymic and hyperthymic temperaments and melancholic type at time 1 significantly predicted DMC from time 1 to time 2, after controlling for demographic variables and the level of depressive mood at time 1. Path analysis results showed that depressive, cyclothymic and hyperthymic temperaments and melancholic type significantly predicted DMC, a certain part of the influence of depressive, cyclothymic and hyperthymic temperaments and melancholic type was significantly mediated via coping styles and that the influence of melancholic type was also mediated via dysfunctional attitudes. These findings provide clues for the targeting of interventions.
Sakai
Yoshie
Y
Department of Psychiatry, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Koshigaya City, Japan. y-sakai@sb3.so-net.ne.jp
Akiyama
Tsuyoshi
T
Kawamura
Yoshiya
Y
Matsumoto
Satoko
S
Tominaga
Maki
M
Kurabayashi
Lumie
L
Miyake
Yuko
Y
Akiskal
Kareen
K
Akiskal
Hagop
H
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001290:Attitude; D003527:Cyclothymic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011340:Problem Solving; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D013694:Temperament