Sociotropy, Autonomy and Emotional Symptoms in Patients with Major Depression or Generalized Anxiety: The Mediating Role of Rumination and Immature Defenses.

The relationships between dimensions of personality (sociotropy and autonomy), coping strategies (rumination: brooding and reflection subtypes, and immature defenses) and symptoms of depression and anxiety were explored in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). A total of 279 patients completed questionnaires including measures of personality dimensions, rumination, immature defenses, depression and anxiety. Our findings suggested that sociotropy and autonomy may be associated with both depressive and anxious symptoms in patients with MDD and with GAD. Multiple mediation analyses indicated that brooding always acted as a mediating link between personality vulnerabilities (sociotropy and autonomy) and depressive and anxiety symptoms, independently of the patient group. In addition, in patients with MDD and those with GAD, brooding and immature defenses functioned together by linking sociotropy and autonomy, respectively, with depressive symptoms. Our results also showed that, in patients with GAD, both types of rumination explained the relationship between sociotropy and autonomy and anxiety symptoms. Overall, our findings provided evidence of the transdiagnostic role of the brooding, linking the vulnerability of personality dimensions and emotional symptoms. They also indicated that reflection and immature defenses can operate in conjunction with brooding, depending on the type of vulnerability and emotional context.

The role of introverted personality and social support in the mediating effects of depression and loneliness for medical students / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the effect of depression on loneliness in medical students',and the mediating effects of introverted personality and social support.Methods EPQ,UCLA,SSRS,and POMS questionnaire were used,and surveyed data was collected from Dalian Medical University medical students.Results The scores of depressive mood,introverted personality,social support and loneliness were (17.77±4.45),(11.97±5.21),(34.52±6.15) and (38.02±6.36).Depression was positively related to loneliness and introverted personality (r=0.286,0.508,P＜0.01),and social support was negatively related to loneliness (r =-0.443,P＜0.01).Introverted personality was positively related to loneliness(r=0.401,P＜0.01).The total effect value was 0.670.The mediating effect of introversion as mediator variable was 0.221,accounting for 33％ of the total effect.Social support as intermediary variable,intermediary effect value was 0.449,accounting for 67％ of the total effect.Standard value of mediating effect between depression and introverted personality showed as 0.508 (95％CI=0.475-0.725,P＜0.0i),standard value of mediating effect between depression and social support showed as-0.150 (95％CI=0.989-1.469,P＜0.01),introverted personality was the mediating variant of depression and loneliness,standard value of mediating effect was 0.156 (95％ CI=0.080-0.232,P＜0.01),social support was the mediating variant of depression and loneliness,standard value of mediating effect was 0.317 (95％ CI=0.177-0.457,P＜0.01).Conclusions Introverted personality and social support play an intermediary role between depression and loneliness.

The role of introverted personality and social support in the mediating effects of depression and loneliness for medical students / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the effect of depression on loneliness in medical students',and the mediating effects of introverted personality and social support.Methods EPQ,UCLA,SSRS,and POMS questionnaire were used,and surveyed data was collected from Dalian Medical University medical students.Results The scores of depressive mood,introverted personality,social support and loneliness were (17.77±4.45),(11.97±5.21),(34.52±6.15) and (38.02±6.36).Depression was positively related to loneliness and introverted personality (r=0.286,0.508,P＜0.01),and social support was negatively related to loneliness (r =-0.443,P＜0.01).Introverted personality was positively related to loneliness(r=0.401,P＜0.01).The total effect value was 0.670.The mediating effect of introversion as mediator variable was 0.221,accounting for 33％ of the total effect.Social support as intermediary variable,intermediary effect value was 0.449,accounting for 67％ of the total effect.Standard value of mediating effect between depression and introverted personality showed as 0.508 (95％CI=0.475-0.725,P＜0.0i),standard value of mediating effect between depression and social support showed as-0.150 (95％CI=0.989-1.469,P＜0.01),introverted personality was the mediating variant of depression and loneliness,standard value of mediating effect was 0.156 (95％ CI=0.080-0.232,P＜0.01),social support was the mediating variant of depression and loneliness,standard value of mediating effect was 0.317 (95％ CI=0.177-0.457,P＜0.01).Conclusions Introverted personality and social support play an intermediary role between depression and loneliness.