title: Body-image dissatisfaction is strongly associated with chronic dysphoria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Individual depressive symptoms may contribute to the risk of chronic depression. This study aimed to explore which symptoms predict chronic dysphoria, a hallmark of depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  1057 participants from the population-based Young Finns study were examined for four times during a 16-year period. Those with a modified Beck's Depression Inventory score in the upper third at all four screenings were considered to have chronic dysphoria (n=135). Participants with only one high depression score formed the reference group of transient dysphoria (n=179). Individual items of the Inventory were analyzed in terms of their association with dysphoria status and chronicity, controlling for potential confounding factors, such as personality assessed using the Temperament and Character Inventory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Body-image dissatisfaction was strongly associated with chronically elevated dysphoria (Bonferroni-corrected p=0.006). The degree of body-image dissatisfaction was associated with the probability for chronic dysphoria in a dose-response manner, with the estimated probability ranging from 0.01 to 0.60 as a function of item response. The association remained after adjustments for a wide range of personality characteristics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study relied on self-reports of mood and personality, and lacked information on external opinion on participants appearances. The requirement of full time-series data may have resulted in attrition-related bias.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Body-image dissatisfaction was a strong predictor of chronic depression characterized by dysphoria. This finding suggests that dysfunctional attitude towards oneself might represent a potentially important target for cognitive therapies and preventive interventions.
authors: IBS, Unit of Personality, Work and Health Psychology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. tom.rosenstrom@helsinki.fi
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Rosenström
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Jokela
authors: Mirka
authors: M
authors: Hintsanen
authors: Kim
authors: K
authors: Josefsson
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Juonala
authors: Mika
authors: M
authors: Kivimäki
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Pulkki-Råback
authors: Jorma S A
authors: JS
authors: Viikari
authors: Nina
authors: N
authors: Hutri-Kähönen
authors: Erkki
authors: E
authors: Heinonen
authors: Olli T
authors: OT
authors: Raitakari
authors: Liisa
authors: L
authors: Keltikangas-Järvinen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D001290:Attitude; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D002605:Character; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D013694:Temperament; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Chronic illness; Cognitive model; Depressive disorder; Evolution; Follow-up studies