Depressive vulnerability in women with Alzheimer's disease: Relationship with personality traits and abnormal personality dimensions

Abstract

BackgroundThis study sought to determine the evaluation of current and pre-morbid depressive vulnerability dimensions in Alzheimer's disease. Sidney Blatt´s personality developmental perspective, the Five-Factor model and Axis II personality disorders were taken as references. MethodsThe study was conducted with two groups which were assessed using the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire, the NEO-FFI and the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4+, in the form of individual interview sessions. Current personality measure: Alzheimer's disease Group, consisting of 44 female participants (MAge = 81.36 years); Pre-morbid personality measure: Alzheimer's disease Group Informants (n = 40). ResultsSelf-Criticism personality vulnerability is a general indicator of psychopathology. In pre-morbidity, Neuroticism (β = 0.41), Agreeableness (β = −0.63) and Conscientiousness (β = -0.08) predicted Self-Criticism, explaining 64% of the variance; additionally, Self-Criticism (β = 0.72) and Neediness (β = 2.05) predicted the PDQ-4+ total, explaining 58% of the variance. In terms of current personality, the PDQ-4+ total was predicted by Self-Criticism (β = 0.55), explaining 30% of the variance. LimitationsThe small size of the samples, especially since it is difficult to access individuals diagnosed with AD at the onset or in its early stages; measuring personality changes by means of retrospective assessment by proxies may have introduced some memory bias. ConclusionsThese findings are relevant to research relating depressive vulnerability to personality traits and psychopathology in Alzheimer's disease.