THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AUTONOMOUS AND SOCIOTROPIC TYPES OF DEPRESSION AND DIMENSIONS OF DEPRESSION: PERSONALITY CLUSTERS; SYMPTOMATOLOGY; AND COGNITIVE THEME CONTENT
Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between depressed individuals, categorized according to Beck's (1982) reformulated cognitive theory into autonomous and sociotropic personality groups, and differing symptoms and cognitive themes of depression. After administration of the Sociotropy Autonomy Scale (Beck, Note 3), a mean-score procedure was used to place 129 depressed individuals into four personality groups: (a) high autonomy/low sociotropy; (b) low autonomy/high sociotropy; (c) high autonomy/high sociotropy; and (d) low autonomy/low sociotropy. Of the 129 participants, 108 completed the Beck Depression Inventory (Beck, 1967), the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (Hamilton, 1960), the Self Concept Test (Beck, 1978), and the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (Weissman & Beck, Note 4). Items from each assessment that met theory- and factor-based criteria were selected to form the following new variables: (a) BDI-a, HRS-D-a, SCT-a, DAS-ach, and DAS-per, measuring autonomy; and (b) BDI-s, HRS-D-s, SCT-s, DAS-app, and DAS-lov, measuring sociotropy. Significant mean differences were found between the following: (a) the autonomous group scored significantly higher than the sociotropic group on the SCT-a; (b) the sociotropic group significantly higher than the autonomous group on the DAS-ach, the DAS-app, and the DAS-lov and significantly higher than the low autonomy/sociotropy group on the HRS-D-s and the DAS-lov; (c) the high autonomy/sociotropy group significantly higher than the autonomous group on the DAS-ach; and (d) the low autonomy/sociotropy group significantly higher than the autonomous group on the DAS-app. A product-moment correlation showed moderate correlations between the sociotropic group's scores and scores on the SCT-s, the HRS-D-s, the DAS-app, and the DAS-lov. Results from a discriminant analysis showed personality group differentiation. The first function separated the autonomous group, characterized by HRS-D-a and SCT-a items, from the sociotropic group, characterized by DAS-app and HRS-D-s items. The second function separated the high autonomy/sociotropy group from the low autonomy/sociotropy group. These functions successfully placed group membership 50% of the time. Results of this study provide evidence for construct validity of the SAS (Beck, Note 3). Findings offer support to Beck's (1982) reformulated cognitive theory of depression.
Subject Area
Academic guidance counseling
Recommended Citation
RUSSELL, NANCY NEAL, "THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AUTONOMOUS AND SOCIOTROPIC TYPES OF DEPRESSION AND DIMENSIONS OF DEPRESSION: PERSONALITY CLUSTERS; SYMPTOMATOLOGY; AND COGNITIVE THEME CONTENT" (1983). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI8326188.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI8326188
