TY - JOUR

T1 - Two-year stability and change of neuroticism and extraversion in treated and untreated persons with depression

T2 - Findings from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA)

AU - Renner, Fritz

AU - Penninx, Brenda W.

AU - Peeters, Frenk

AU - Cuijpers, Pim

AU - Huibers, Marcus

N1 - Funding Information: The infrastructure for the NESDA study ( www.nesda.nl ) is funded through the Geestkracht program of the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (Zon-Mw, Grant number 10-000-1002 ) and is supported by participating universities and mental health care organizations: VU University Medical Center, GGZ inGeest, Arkin, Leiden University Medical Center, GGZ Rivierduinen, University Medical Center Groningen, Lentis, GGZ Friesland, GGZ Drenthe, Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare (IQ healthcare), Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL) and Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction (Trimbos Institute). Funding Information: The infrastructure for the NESDA study (www.nesda.nl) is funded through the Geestkracht program of the Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (Zon-Mw, grant number 10-000-1002) and is supported by participating universities and mental health care organizations: VU University Medical Center, GGZ inGeest, Arkin, Leiden University Medical Center, GGZ Rivierduinen, University Medical Center Groningen, Lentis, GGZ Friesland, GGZ Drenthe, Scientific Institute for Quality of Healthcare (IQ healthcare), Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL) and Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction (Trimbos Institute)

PY - 2013/9/5

Y1 - 2013/9/5

N2 - Background: The personality dimensions neuroticism and extraversion likely represent part of the vulnerability to depression. The stability over longer time periods of these personality dimensions in depressed patients treated with psychological treatment or medication and in untreated persons with depression in the general population remains unclear. Stability of neuroticism and extraversion in treated and untreated depressed persons would suggest that part of the vulnerability to depression remains stable over time. The current study addressed the question whether treatment in depressed patients is related to changes in neuroticism and extraversion. Methods: Data are from 709 patients with major depressive disorder participating in a cohort study (Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety; NESDA). We determined the 2-year stability of extraversion and neuroticism in treated and untreated persons and related change in depression severity to change in personality over time. Results: Neuroticism decreased from baseline to 2-year follow-up (d = 0.73) in both treated and untreated persons. Extraversion did not change significantly after controlling for neuroticism and depression severity at baseline and follow-up. Decreased depressive symptoms over time were related to decreased neuroticism (d = 1.91) whereas increased depressive symptoms over time were unrelated to neuroticism (d = 0.06). Limitations: Patients were not randomized to treatment conditions and the groups are therefore not directly comparable. Conclusions: Treated patients with depression in the general population improve just as much on depression severity and neuroticism as untreated persons with depression. This suggests that changes in neuroticism in the context of treatment likely represent mood-state effects rather than direct effects of treatment.

AB - Background: The personality dimensions neuroticism and extraversion likely represent part of the vulnerability to depression. The stability over longer time periods of these personality dimensions in depressed patients treated with psychological treatment or medication and in untreated persons with depression in the general population remains unclear. Stability of neuroticism and extraversion in treated and untreated depressed persons would suggest that part of the vulnerability to depression remains stable over time. The current study addressed the question whether treatment in depressed patients is related to changes in neuroticism and extraversion. Methods: Data are from 709 patients with major depressive disorder participating in a cohort study (Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety; NESDA). We determined the 2-year stability of extraversion and neuroticism in treated and untreated persons and related change in depression severity to change in personality over time. Results: Neuroticism decreased from baseline to 2-year follow-up (d = 0.73) in both treated and untreated persons. Extraversion did not change significantly after controlling for neuroticism and depression severity at baseline and follow-up. Decreased depressive symptoms over time were related to decreased neuroticism (d = 1.91) whereas increased depressive symptoms over time were unrelated to neuroticism (d = 0.06). Limitations: Patients were not randomized to treatment conditions and the groups are therefore not directly comparable. Conclusions: Treated patients with depression in the general population improve just as much on depression severity and neuroticism as untreated persons with depression. This suggests that changes in neuroticism in the context of treatment likely represent mood-state effects rather than direct effects of treatment.

KW - Psychology

KW - Neuroticism

KW - Extraversion

KW - Major depression

KW - Treatment seeking

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84882898825&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/448b5c76-923d-329e-beca-c327060fdb85/

U2 - 10.1016/j.jad.2013.03.022

DO - 10.1016/j.jad.2013.03.022

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 23608120

VL - 150

SP - 201

EP - 208

JO - Journal of Affective Disorders

JF - Journal of Affective Disorders

SN - 0165-0327

IS - 2

ER -