Personality patterns and outcome in depressive and bipolar disorders

Abstract

Personality traits and disorders have a strong influence on the course and outcome of depressive and bipolar disorders. Studies of the influence of personality disorders (PD) and some PD clusters on outcome of mood disorders are controversial and suggest that more specific assessment of underlying traits or dimensions is needed. Utilizing the Munich Personality test (MP-T) scales of von Zerssen, this study tries to identify specific personality traits that may influence the outcome and clinical course of unipolar endogenous depression and bipolar disorder. Six unipolar depressives and 6 bipolar patients, according to DSM III-R and ICD 10 criteria, were assessed with the MP-T self-and family-reporting scales. Three years later, their outcome scores were correlated with the corresponding premorbid personality profile. Preliminary results show that introversion has a negative effect on outcome of unipolar melancholic depression, while extra-version, esoteric tendencies and rigidity have a