title: MMPI-2: cluster analysis of personality profiles in perinatal depression—preliminary evidence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To assess personality characteristics of women who develop perinatal depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study started with a screening of a sample of 453 women in their third trimester of pregnancy, to which was administered a survey data form, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 (MMPI-2). A clinical group of subjects with perinatal depression (PND, 55 subjects) was selected; clinical and validity scales of MMPI-2 were used as predictors in hierarchical cluster analysis carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis identified three clusters of personality profile: two "clinical" clusters (1 and 3) and an "apparently common" one (cluster 2). The first cluster (39.5%) collects structures of personality with prevalent obsessive or dependent functioning tending to develop a "psychasthenic" depression; the third cluster (13.95%) includes women with prevalent borderline functioning tending to develop "dysphoric" depression; the second cluster (46.5%) shows a normal profile with a "defensive" attitude, probably due to the presence of defense mechanisms or to the fear of stigma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Characteristics of personality have a key role in clinical manifestations of perinatal depression; it is important to detect them to identify mothers at risk and to plan targeted therapeutic interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-4957-0461
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Meuti
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9060-5032
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marini
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grillo
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Via dei Marsi 78, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lauriola
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-7855-1468
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Giacchetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale dell'Università 30, 00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Franca
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8245-8466
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aceti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008950:MMPI; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult