Objectives: The present study examines the role of dependency (interpersonal relatedness) and self-criticism (self-definition) in internalising and externalising problems.Methods: Three hundred forty-six suburban Portuguese high-school students age 14-18 (mean = 16.14, standard deviation = 1.19) responded to the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire and the Youth Self-Report. The impact of depression, measured by the Children's Depression Inventory, on the relationship of dependency and self-criticism on internalising and externalising problem behaviours was examined.Results: Both self-criticism and dependency, controlled for level of depression, were associated with internalising behaviour problems in both girls and boys. Gender differences, however, were observed in externalising problems. Externalising problems in boys were also associated with self-criticism. But externalising problems in girls were not associated with psychological variables and thus may be more a function of environmental rather than psychological factors.Conclusions: Implications of these findings for intervention are discussed. Key Points1 Clinical interventions with adolescents should focus on the personality qualities of dependency and self-criticism as the motivational force behind the disturbed internalising and externalising behaviour. Internal representations of worthlessness or inferiority that are part of self-criticism could be amenable to change in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy can also be helpful in addressing issues of loneliness, and feelings and fears of abandonment typical of the anaclitic personality configuration. 2 Observed differences between girls and boys have important therapeutic implications and suggest that externalising symptoms in girls may be the consequence of factors other than personality dimensions, possibly socioeconomic factors and peer relationships. 3 The Depressive Experiences Questionnaire for adolescents appears to make important contributions to the assessment of these personality dimensions.Blatt

Introduction/objectivesDepression is very common among institutionalized elders. Because of the increased risk of cognitive impairment/dementia, and mortality we want to describe the evolution of depression and analyze predictive factors.MethodsIn the Aging Trajectories Study (Instituto Superior Miguel Torga - Coimbra), we followed up a sample of 83 nondemented persons (M ± SD baseline age = 79.51 ± 6.58; men: 17; women: 66). In a 2-year prospective cohort analysis (2010-2011, and 2013), we assessed depression using the Geriatric Depressive Scale/GDS as screening tool and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview to diagnose depression. We also used the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory/GAI, the Positive and Negative Affect Scale/PANAS. Sociodemographics, and health were control variables. We performed a multinomial logistic regression to identify predicitive factors.ResultsFifty participants had depression at baseline, nine developed, 49 maintained, nine remitted, and 16 maintained without depression.Having depression was associated with worse scores in UCLA, GAI, and PANAS. Not having depression was correlated with higher positive affect.Baseline higher GAI and UCLA, and lower positive affect and satisfaction predicted recurrent depression.Improvement in GDS, GAI, and positive affect predicted depression remission.ConclusionResults show that depression is a concern issue for professionals working with institutionalized elderly. Anxiety, loneliness, low positive affect and satisfaction constitute a risk factor for maintaing depression in institutionalized elderly and low anxiety and depressive symptoms are a protective factors for depression. These results could be used in depression prevention programs.