title: Personality, stressful life events, and treatment response in major depression.
abstract: The current study examined whether the personality traits of self-criticism or dependency moderated the effect of stressful life events on treatment response. Depressed outpatients (N = 113) were randomized to 16 weeks of cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, or antidepressant medication (ADM). Stressful life events were assessed with the Bedford College Life Events and Difficulties Schedule. Severe events reported during or immediately prior to treatment predicted poor response in the ADM condition but not in the psychotherapy conditions. In contrast, nonsevere life events experienced prior to onset predicted superior response to treatment. Further, self-criticism moderated the relation of severe life events to outcome across conditions, such that in the presence of severe stress those high in self-criticism were less likely to respond to treatment than were those low in self-criticism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bulmash
authors.forename: Kate L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Harkness
authors.forename: Jeremy G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: R Michael
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bagby
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D018579:Patient Selection; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012649:Self Concept; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome