Submissive Traits Research Articles

Continuity between DSM-5 Section II and Section III personality traits for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.

Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is formally operationalized in Section II of the DSM-5 by a heterogeneous collection of 8 categorical criteria. Section III contains an alternative model operationalizing personality disorders via dimensional personality traits and associated impairment. The extent to which the personality traits used to define OCPD in Section III correspond with the Section II operationalization of the disorder is contested. The current study aims to contribute to the evidence base necessary to solidify the optimal trait profile for this disorder via a more fine-tuned examination of OCPD. The research questions were examined using a clinical sample of 142 Danish adults who completed the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders and the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 to index both the Sections II and III (personality traits) operationalizations of OCPD, respectively. Bivariate correlations supported Rigid Perfectionism and Perseveration as traits relevant to OCPD; however, hierarchical regression analyses indicated that of the 4 traits used in the Section III operationalization of OCPD, only Rigid Perfectionism uniquely predicted OCPD (p<.05). In addition to Rigid Perfectionism, the conceptually relevant traits of Submissiveness, Suspiciousness, and (low) Impulsivity were also found to uniquely predict OCPD and its specific symptoms in a regression model. These findings indicate that the traits proposed in Section III are only partially aligned with the traditional, Section II conceptualization of OCPD, and may be augmented by incorporating Submissiveness, Suspiciousness, and (low) Impulsivity. In light of the current findings and existing literature, a modified constellation of traits to operationalize OCPD is likely justified.

Social Support and Postpartum Depression Revisited: The Traditional Female Role as Moderator among Mexican Women.

Women who lack social support tend to have a higher risk of postpartum depression. The present study examined the traditional female role, understood here as the adoption of passive and submissive traits specific to Mexican women, as another risk factor for postpartum depressive symptomatology that interacts with social support. Using two waves of data from a longitudinal study of 210 adult Mexican women (20-44 years-old, Mage = 29.50 years, SD = 6.34), we found that lacking social support during the third trimester of their pregnancy was associated with greater depressive symptoms at 6 months in the postpartum, although this relationship depended on the level of endorsement of the traditional female role during pregnancy. Lower social support during pregnancy predicted greater postpartum depressive symptoms for women with higher endorsement of the traditional female role, even when accounting for prenatal depressive symptoms. These results suggest that Mexican women's experience of social support may depend on their individual adherence to gender roles. Understanding the association between women's traditional roles and social support in the risk for postpartum depression can improve prevention and educational programs for women at risk.

Response to “Thinking About Our Work: When Partners Grow Apart”

357 1 Private practice, Chestnut Hill, MA. Correspondence should be addressed to J. Scott Rutan, PhD, 71 Waban Hill Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467. E-mail: scottrutan@scottrutan.com. Lee Kassan raises a very important but rarely addressed issue in psychotherapy, namely, if our work with a patient is successful and we alter the way that individual views and lives life, we also inadvertently alter the lives of those in close relationship with that patient. The most apparent relationship impacted is that with the primary significant other of the patient. When working with couples, I begin with some assumptions. First, I assume that most marriages (or primary relationships) are “made” in the unconscious, not in heaven. Second, I assume that the things couples usually fight over are the very unconscious reasons they found one another. Years ago, I did a rather amateurish research on 21 couples I had seen in psychotherapy. I administered each member of the couple the Leary Interpersonal Checklist (Leary, 1957). This inventory results in a circular chart that represents the traits of the individual. The circle is a sophisticated view of personality, linking similar and opposite characteristics. For example, at the top of the circle are dominant traits (such as confidence or dogmatism), while at the opposite pole are submissive traits (such as self-effacing behavior). On the east side of the circle are relationship-seeking traits (such as effusiveness, friendliness, cooperation), whereas on the west side are relationship-avoiding traits (such as attacking and critical behavior). Presumably there can be too much of any quality on any point on the axes, so that the “ideal” personality would be a completely round circle equidistant from the core and the outer edge. But of course, no individual personality shows that way. Rather, each individual’s personality is represented by a misshapen circle that has stronger and weaker sides.

Étude du profil des personnes victimes d’intimidation réelle et d’intimidation sur Internet

ObjectivesOver the last decade, Internet use has exponentially grown among young people and 95% of adolescents are able to access the Internet. It is important to note that this expansion might lead to cyberbullying, an underestimated phenomenon that has been reported to be experienced by up to 20% of adolescents. Cyberbullying has been associated with poor psychological functioning such as increased depressive and anxiety symptoms. Therefore, the aim of the present study was firstly to explore relationships between different kinds of bullying (face to face, Internet, and Facebook) and depression, social and separation anxiety, submissive traits, and social support, among adolescents. We expected to find an association between the different forms of bullying and these variables. Secondly, the aim was to identify a typology of adolescents based on the type of bullying. We expected to obtain clusters that would differ in levels of psychological functioning including depressive and social phobia symptoms, perceived social support, separation anxiety and submissive traits. MethodsThe study data were obtained from high schools students in Toulouse, France. Participants were 151 adolescents (Mean age=15.28±0.6) who completed a self-report questionnaire assessing depression, social and separation anxiety, submissive traits, social support, bullying, and cyberbullying on the Internet and on Facebook. ResultsA correlation analysis revealed that cyberbullying was positively associated with bullying (r=.80, P<.05) and negatively associated with social support (r=–0.27, P<.05). Cluster analysis yielded 3 clearly distinct clusters with 92.7% of participants successfully classified (Wilks’ λ=0.10, P<.0001): the low bullied cluster (LBC) (n=99.60% of the sample), the moderately bullied cluster (MBC) (n=38.31% of the sample) and the highly bullied cluster (HBC) (n=14.9% of the sample). The HBC cluster had significantly higher scores on depression, social anxiety and submissive traits and lower scores of social support than the LBC and the MBC clusters. ConclusionFirstly, our results suggest that victims of cyberbullying might suffer from increased psychological distress including higher depressive symptoms, social/separation anxiety symptoms, submissive traits and lower social support. Secondly, our results suggest the usefulness of taking traditional bullying into account when exploring cyberbullying. Indeed, existing face-to-face power relationships might be extended to Internet. A continuum between bullying in school and cyberbullying could lead to increased psychological distress and an increased suicide risk. This continuum might be associated with Internet use on mobile devices which could lead to a lack of separation between private and public domains. Further studies exploring cyberbullying via mobile devices as well as victim and assaulter profiles on the Internet are warranted.

Youths’ attributions for power-related gender differences: nature, nurture, or God?

This study examined beliefs about power-related gender traits among 73 early adolescents in middle school ( M age=12.5), 84 late adolescents in high school ( M age=16.1), and 111 young adults in college ( M age=20.9). Males believed that men had more dominant traits than female participants, and females thought that women had more submissive traits than male participants. Older participants perceived more gender differentiation for these traits than younger participants. Youths believed most strongly in social explanations for differences, followed by biological and religious explanations, although there were age and sex differences in responses. Findings suggest that religious and biological attributions decrease between early adolescence and adulthood for both males and females, but that social attributions increase for females only. Religious attributions were linked to traditional attitudes towards women, social attributions were linked to egalitarian attitudes, while biological attributions were linked to traditional attitudes for males only.

Women and Men Police Officers: Status, Gender, and Personality

Introduction: Women and Men in Policing The Status Model of Gender Stereotyping Status Characteristics Theory and the Gender-Stereotyped Personality Traits Description of the Study: The Sample of Police Partners and Measures Status and Personality: The Dominating, Instrumental, and Expressive Traits Coping with Low Status: The Verbal-Aggressive and Submissive Traits Police Officers Who Violate Gender Norms: The Bipolar Traits Self-Esteem: The Impact of Status and Personality Traits The Patterning of Traits within Individual Personality Status, Gender, and Personality: Towards an Integrated Theory Implications for Policing Appendix Notes References Index