Evidence for an association of the big five personality factors with recurrence of depressive symptoms in later life

Abstract

SUMMARYObjectives Although it is well known that recurrence of late-life depression is very common, little is known about the characteristics of older people who are vulnerable for recurrence. In order to identify characteristics of those who are at risk, the present study aimed to investigate the strength of the associations of the big five personality factors with recurrence in later life. Secondly, we studied whether there are gender and age differences in the strength of these associations. Methods Using data from the longitudinal aging study Amsterdam (LASA) a subsample with clinically relevant depressive symptoms at one or more of the first three LASA-cycles, but who had recovered at the fourth cycle, was approached to participate in a fifth cycle to determine recurrence (n ¼ 92). Respondents completed self-report questionnaires on personality (NEO-FFI) and depression (CES-D). By means of logistic regression analyses the associations between the Big Five and recurrence of depression at fifth cycle was investigated. Results 58 (63%) had a recurrence of depressive symptoms. A high level of neuroticism was significantly associated with recurrence. No gender differences or age-related differences in strength of the associations of personality with recurrence were found. Conclusion In later life, neuroticism still is associated with the recurrence of depression. Efforts to prevent recurrence of late-life depression should focus on those with high levels of neuroticism and future research should aim at further unravelling the association between depression and personality in later life.

The Relationship Between Borderline Personality Disorder and Major Depression in Later Life: Acute Versus Temperamental Symptoms

“…35 BPD increases the risk of MDE recurrence, 44 and aging alone does not seem to affect the strength of the relationship between personality disorders and depression. 45 Under stressful situations, temperamental traits might be considered a risk factor for developing episodes of major depression in this age group.…”

Personality, depressive symptoms during pregnancy and their influence on postnatal depression in Spanish pregnant Spanish women. [Personalidad, síntomas depresivos en el embarazo y su influencia en la depresión postparto en gestantes españolas]

“…In samples of children it has also been shown that there is a positive association between depression and neuroticism, as well as a negative association between depression and conscientiousness, extraversion, openness and agreeableness (Carrasco and del Barrio, 2007). It has also been found that higher scores on neuroticism are associated with a higher recurrence of depressive episodes in older adults (Steunenberg, Braam, Beekman, Deeg, and Kerkhof, 2009). …”

Comorbid anxiety disorders in late-life depression: results of a cohort study

“…The anxious distress specifier is assumed to identify a more severe form of depression and can be assumed to have considerable overlap with the major depressive disorder with comorbid PD, since somatic anxiety symptoms are the core symptoms of PD. Therefore, we may not be looking at "pure" comorbidity, but merely a heterogeneous group where some have a comorbid PD and some have an anxious depression as a specific subtype of depression (van der Veen et al, 2014).…”

“…Nonetheless, the literature on "anxiety in depression" is difficult to interpret as studies on depressed patients with a high level of anxiety symptoms and depressed patients with concurrent anxiety disorders are often grouped together. Recently, we have shown that, in a sample of patients with depression, comorbid anxious distress or as comorbid anxiety disorders, identify completely different patients, where, for example, depressed older persons who report high levels of (somatic) anxiety symptoms are of a different group than patients suffering from comorbid PD (van der Veen et al, 2014). Determinants of anxious distress and of comorbid anxiety disorders should therefore be examined separately.…”

“…Results from randomized controlled trials suggest that especially cluster C personality disorder negatively impact on antidepressant treatment outcome (e.g. Morse et al, 2005), whereas epidemiological studies point to neuroticism as a predisposing and perpetuating factor in late-life depression (Steunenberg et al, 2009). Therefore, we hypothesise an association between personality characteristics and comorbid anxiety disorders in late-life depression.…”