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Couple functioning in depression: The roles of sociotropy and autonomy
Author(s) -
Lynch Thomas R.,
Robins Clive J.,
Morse Jennifer Q.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(200101)57:1<93::aid-jclp10>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - psychology , autonomy , interpersonal communication , developmental psychology , personality , depression (economics) , interpersonal relationship , clinical psychology , social psychology , political science , law , economics , macroeconomics
We evaluated the hypothesis that interpersonal relationships of depressed persons would vary as a function of the personality variables sociotropy and autonomy. Depressed psychiatric patients who reported being in a current intimate relationship for at least six months were administered measures of sociotropy, autonomy, and several aspects of relationship functioning. Results indicated that sociotropy was related significantly to patients' reporting their own behavior as demanding and their partners' behavior as withdrawing, whereas autonomy was related to patients' reporting their partners' behavior as demanding and their own behavior as withdrawing. Autonomy also was related to greater relationship dissatisfaction, and there was a trend for autonomy to be related to greater criticism of the partner. The results are consistent with a model in which sociotropy and autonomy increase vulnerability to depression, in part, through their effects on interpersonal relationships. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc., J Clin Psychol 57: 93–103, 2001.