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Life events and personality characteristics in depression
Author(s) -
Perris H.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1984.tb02505.x
Subject(s) - aggression , personality , depression (economics) , psychology , clinical psychology , big five personality traits , vulnerability (computing) , psychiatry , developmental psychology , social psychology , computer security , computer science , economics , macroeconomics
ABSTRACT– Evidence from many sources supports the view that stressful life events might be relevant for the onset and development of depression, but their pathogenic role is still only poorly understood. One approach in trying to elucidate the role of life events in depression, might be to study them from a multi‐factorial point of view, taking into account the vulnerability of the individual experiencing them. As part of such an investigation, 138 depressed patients with a mean age of 45 years have participated in a study of life events and personality traits. In particular, it was tested whether aspects of aggression might interact with the occurrence and perception of external stressful events. Patients who scored high on outward aggression had experienced more stressful events, and patients who scored high on inhibition of aggression had experienced fewer, but more negatively. It is concluded that a combined study of the occurrence of life events and the personality characteristics of the patients experiencing them might enhance our understanding of the pathogenic role of life events in depression.