Conceptualizing and Measuring Personality Vulnerability to Depression: Comment on Coyne and Whiffen (1995).

Abstract

J. C. Coyne and V. E. Whiffen (1995) reviewed research on personality vulnerability to depression, focusing on S. J. Blatt's (1974, 1990) concepts of dependency and self-criticism and A. T. Beck's (1983) concepts of sociotropy and autonomy. The authors discuss 6 issues raised in that review: (a) the typological or dimensional nature of vulnerability, (b) the theoretical implications of "mixed" vulnerability, (c) the relations of vulnerability to Neuroticism. (d) the potential confounding of vulnerability with concurrent depression, (e) the potential confounding of vulnerability with social context, and (f) the differentiation of dependency from relatedness. The authors conclude that Blatt's and Beck's concepts are continuous, nearly orthogonal dimensions that can be identified and measured independently from Neuroticism, depression, and social context.

Systematic empirical investigation of vulnerability to postpartum depression from a psychodynamic perspective: Commentary on issues raised by Blum (2007).

“…The items loading on the second DEQ factor, Self-Criticism, reflect a continuous preoccupation with failure, ambivalent feelings about self and others, and a self-critical stance (Blatt et al, 1974). A considerable body of research has demonstrated that Self-Criticism as compared to Dependency involves greater vulnerability to depression as well as to other negative affects and distress (e.g., Besser, 2004;Besser, Flett, & Davis, 2003;Besser & Priel, 2003;Besser & Priel, 2005a, 2005bBlatt, 2004;Luyten, Corveleyn, & Blatt, 2005;Nietzel & Harris, 1990;Zuroff, Mongrain, & Santor, 2004).…”

“…It seems that the magnitude of situational demands do not directly determine the expression of symptoms of stress because individual differences in coping abilities and vulnerabilities may have a magnifying impact among individuals (the accentuation principle), underscoring the need to investigate the interactions between the environment and the person as an active agent (Luyten, Blatt, Van Houdenhove, & Corveleyn, 2006;Shahar, 2006;Zuroff, Mongrain, & Santor, 2004).…”

The role of romantic attachment and self‐criticism and dependency for the relationship satisfaction of community adults

“…Research has shown that these general mental representations are also associated with different relational styles (for reviews, see Blatt, 2004;Luyten et al, 2005;Zuroff et al, 2004). Briefly, self-critical individuals tend to avoid intimate relationships, and once a relationship is established they remain distrustful and dissatisfied (Blatt and Zuroff, 1992;.…”

Reconnecting psychoanalysis to mainstream psychology. Challenges and opportunities.

“…They can be used to assess (a) prevalence rates of risk factors presumed to produce these disorders in various segments of the population (e.g., overemphasis on individual achievement at the expense of social connectedness) and (b) comorbid traits and experiences (e.g., perfectionism, stressful life events) that are presumed to exacerbate these underlying risk factors (see Zuroff, Mongrain, & Santor, 2004).…”