The association between depressive personality and treatment outcome for depression following a group cognitive–behavioral intervention

Abstract

The present study investigated the association of depressive personality traits to treatment outcome for depression. One hundred and nineteen patients with a primary diagnosis of major depression were divided into high- and low-depressive personality groups, and depression symptomatology was assessed pre- and postparticipation in a standardized group cognitive-behavioral intervention. Analyses revealed poorer pre-state and end-state functioning for the high-depressive personality group. However, rate of improvement pre- to posttreatment was comparable between the two groups. Subsequent multiple regression analyses revealed that when controlling for pretreatment depression severity, depressive personality was not a predictor of depression treatment outcome. Within the methodological parameters of the current study, depressive personality traits were not associated with a poorer response to cognitive-behavioral treatment for depression.