The role of life-events, sociotropic and autonomous beliefs in the occurrence and recurrence of depression

Abstract

The observation that most individuals do not become depressed despite major stressors whilst others may be vulnerable to relatively minor stressors has led to considerable interest in the moderating role of individual characteristics in predisposing individuals to depression. The existence of two distinct types of personality vulnerability has been proposed, reflecting interpersonal or autonomy related concerns. This distinction has received considerable empirical support; however, methodological problems in existing research have limited understanding of the relationship between life-events, personal vulnerability and the onset of depression. This study utilised both interview and psychometric data to explore sociotropic and autonomous beliefs in relation to depression vulnerability as related to childhood experience, belief congruent life-events and psychosocial factors.

Participants were classified as currently depressed, recovered depressed and never depressed in a between groups design. Multivariate parametric and non-parametric statistics were used to analyse the data. Results are discussed in terms of the predictions of the diathesis-stress model as well as the elaborations possible by consideration of qualitative data.