title: Self-criticism, dependency, and stress reactivity: an experience sampling approach to testing Blatt and Zuroff's (1992) theory of personality predispositions to depression in high-risk youth.
abstract: S. J. Blatt and D. C. Zuroff's 1992 theory of personality predispositions to depression posits that individuals who possess high levels of self-criticism and/or dependency are vulnerable to developing depression following negative events. The current study used experience sampling methodology to test this theory in a sample of 49 children ages 7 to 14. Children completed measures of dependency, self-criticism, and depressive symptoms. Subsequently, children were given a handheld computer that signaled them to complete measures of depressive symptoms and negative events at randomly selected times over 2 months. Results of hierarchical linear modeling analyses indicated that higher levels of both self-criticism and dependency were associated with greater elevations in depressive symptoms following negative events. Furthermore, each personality predisposition remained a significant predictor of such elevations after controlling for the interaction between the other personality predisposition and negative events. The results suggest that dependency and self-criticism represent distinct vulnerability factors to depression in youth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, McGill University, Stewart Biological Sciences Building, 1205 Dr. Penfield Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3A 1B1. philippe@ego.psych.mcgill.ca
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: John R Z
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Abela
authors.forename: Randy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Auerbach
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skitch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001143:Arousal; D002648:Child; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents; D003858:Dependency, Psychological; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010553:Personality Development; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011582:Psychological Theory; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology