Personality characteristics and structure of depression in affective disorders

Abstract

Studying personality traits and the structural characteristics of depressive states in affective disorders is important for improving diagnostic accuracy and the effectiveness of psychotherapy. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between premorbid personality characteristics and the clinical and psychopathological structure of a depressive episode. The study group consisted of patients diagnosed with affective disorders of varying severity. Standardized psychodiagnostic questionnaires on personality traits, clinical scales to assess the severity of depression, and an in-depth clinical and anamnestic interview were used as methodological tools. The study revealed specific patterns: the prevalence of anxious-suspicious and ananksic personality traits is associated with the development of anxious-depressive states with a high level of hypochondria. Individuals with demonstrative personality traits were more likely to experience atypical depressions with a predominance of somatoform and autonomic manifestations. The study also found that the severity of personality maladjustment directly influences the duration of a depressive episode and the tendency to relapse. It concludes that premorbid personality plays a fundamental role in shaping the phenomenological picture of depressive disorders. Considering the patient's individual personality profile allows for a more accurate prognosis of the disease's progression and the development of personalized programs for comprehensive psychopharmacotherapy and psychotherapeutic intervention.