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Sociotropy and autonomy and the interpersonal model of depression: an integration

University of British Columbia

Researchers and theorists have suggested that two personality styles may serve as pathways for the development of depression. One personality style, sociotropy, involves intense needs for positive interchange with others, whereas the other style, autonomy, involves an excessive need for self-control and independence. These personality styles were investigated in the context of Coyne's (1976) interpersonal model of depression, which suggests that depressed persons are rejected by others. Research on this model has been equivocal, and it is possible that these two personality dimensions result in meaningful interpersonal differences within depressed persons. Depressed outpatients, (N=41) and non-depressed controls (N=41) were assessed on sociotropy and autonomy and then participated in a brief task in which a research assistant helped them plan adaptive life changes. These interactions were rated subjectively and utilizing behavioural coding. Results indicated that a combination of depression and autonomy were particularly likely to lead to rejection and less positive interpersonal behaviours. Sociotropy was related to perceptions of interpersonal deference, whereas depression was associated with self-orientation in the task. These results suggest that both depression and personality impact rejection and interpersonal behaviours in social interactions. Overall, this study represents a significant step toward greater specificity in the interpersonal model of depression, and clinical implications of these findings are described.

Thesis/Dissertation

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2009-04-01

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/6723

Psychology

University of British Columbia

UBCV

DSpace