Between a rock and a hard place: Associations between Mentzos' “dilemma”, self‐reported interpersonal problems, and psychosocial functioning in individuals with non‐affective psychoses

Frauke Stuke; Anna‐Lena Bröcker; Samuel Bayer; Andreas Heinz; Felix Bermpohl; Günter Lempa; Dorothea Haebler; Christiane Montag

doi:10.1002/cpp.2437

Impact of Personality Features and Interpersonal Problems on Anxiety Among Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.3233 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 897-898

Author(s):

Olivia Noel ◽

Katie Granier ◽

Daniel Segal ◽

Marissa Pifer ◽

Lisa Stone

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Personality Traits ◽

Psychosocial Functioning ◽

Interpersonal Problems ◽

Later Life ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Clinical Syndromes ◽

Personality Features ◽

Development Of Anxiety ◽

Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract Introduction Anxiety is a significant mental health problem among older adults and is associated with multiple other mental disorders, poor psychosocial functioning, and reduced quality of life. Personality traits and disorders, along with interpersonal problems, may play a significant role in anxiety, but these relationships are not well understood among older adults. This study examined relationships between anxiety with normative personality traits, personality disorder (PD) features, and interpersonal problems. Method: Community-dwelling older adults (N = 130) completed the Geriatric Anxiety Scale (GAS), Coolidge Axis Two Inventory (CATI), Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2), and Circumplex Scales of Interpersonal Problems (CSIP). Results Anxiety was positively correlated with 13 of 14 CATI PD scales, ranging from .23 (Narcissistic) to .61 (Depressive). Regarding normative personality, anxiety was associated with Agreeableness (-.23), Conscientiousness (-.30), Extraversion (-.31), and Negative Emotionality (.56). Regarding interpersonal problems, anxiety was positively related to all eight CSIP scales: Self-Sacrificing (.30), Domineering (.31), Exploitable (.40), Intrusive (.41), Self-centered (.47), Nonassertive (.50), Socially Inhibited (.60), and Distant/Cold (.62). Regression analyses indicated that PD features accounted for the most variance in anxiety (53%), followed by interpersonal problems, (46%) and normative personality traits (33%). Discussion Anxiety appears to be meaningfully associated with PD features, several aspects of normative personality, and interpersonal problems, suggesting that these variables may play a role in the development of anxiety, or vice versa. Our findings especially speak to the growing awareness of the deleterious impact of PD features on clinical syndromes in later life, as evidenced by strong comorbidities with anxiety.

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Comparison of short- and long-term dynamic group psychotherapy: randomised clinical trial

The British Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.1192/bjp.bp.112.113688 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 203 (4) ◽

pp. 280-287 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Steinar Lorentzen ◽

Torleif Ruud ◽

Anette Fjeldstad ◽

Per H⊘glend

Keyword(s):

Group Psychotherapy ◽

Psychosocial Functioning ◽

Interpersonal Problems ◽

Randomised Clinical Trial ◽

Term Therapy ◽

Short Term ◽

Inventory Of Interpersonal Problems ◽

Function Change ◽

Short And Long Term

BackgroundThere are no randomised clinical trials comparing the outcomes of short- with long-term psychodynamic group psychotherapy.AimsTo compare differences in outcome during and after short-and long-term group psychotherapy.MethodIn total, 167 out-patients with mood, anxiety and personality disorders were randomised to short- or long-term group therapy (20 or 80 weekly, 90 min sessions). Outcome measures were: symptoms (Symptom Checklist 90 – Revised), interpersonal problems (Inventory of Interpersonal Problems – Circumplex) and psychosocial functioning (Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) split version: GAF-Symptom and GAF-Function). Change over the 3-year study period was assessed using linear mixed models. The study was registered in clinicalTrials.gov as NCT00521417.ResultsPatients in both groups made significant gains. A significantly larger symptomatic change over time was found for long-term compared with short-term therapy, but no significant differences were detected for the three remaining outcome variables. There was a higher number of premature terminations in the long-term (33.3%) compared with the short-term group (8.6%).ConclusionsShort- and long-term therapy seem equally effective for typical out-patients seeking group psychotherapy, except for symptomatic distress.

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Relations of Shared and Unique Components of Personality and Psychosocial Functioning to Depressive Symptoms

Journal of Personality Disorders ◽

10.1521/pedi_2017_31_313 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 32 (5) ◽

pp. 577-602 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jeffrey R. Vittengl ◽

Lee Anna Clark ◽

Michael E. Thase ◽

Robin B. Jarrett

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

Major Depressive Disorder ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Psychosocial Functioning ◽

Interpersonal Problems ◽

Cognitive Content ◽

Major Depressive ◽

Regression Methods ◽

Treatment Of Depression ◽

Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder

Consistent with theories of depression, several personality (e.g., high neuroticism, low extraversion) and psychosocial (e.g., interpersonal problems, cognitive content) variables predict depressive symptoms substantively. In this extended replication, we clarified whether 13 theoretically relevant personality and psychosocial variables were unique versus overlapping predictors of symptoms among 351 adult outpatients with recurrent major depressive disorder who received acute-phase cognitive therapy (CT). Using factor analysis and regression methods, we partitioned the measures’ variance into general components common across the two types of measures (psychosocial and personality), within-type components shared only with other measures of the same type, and scale-specific components. From early to late in CT, and from late in CT through 8 months after response, the general components were the strongest (median r = .23)—and scale-specific components the weakest (median r = .01)—forward predictors of symptoms. We discuss implications for measurement and treatment of depression.

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Casebook of Interpersonal Psychotherapy

10.1093/med:psych/9780199746903.001.0001 ◽

2015 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Keyword(s):

Eating Disorders ◽

Psychosocial Functioning ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Real Life ◽

Interpersonal Problems ◽

Interpersonal Psychotherapy ◽

Interpersonal Behavior ◽

Online Resource ◽

Inpatient Settings ◽

Telephone Therapy

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) is based on evidence that interpersonal problems contribute to the onset of psychiatric disorders, and it helps patients to change interpersonal behavior in order to improve psychosocial functioning and relieve symptoms. IPT both relieves psychiatric symptoms and helps to build social skills. This online resource provides a wealth of real life treatment material, and illustrates the use of IPT in the hands of expert psychotherapists treating patients with a range of conditions and complications in different IPT treatment formats. The detailed cases give a sense of how IPT proceeds and how it works. Chapter authors describe specific adaptations of IPT for patients with particular disorders, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and personality disorders. It also covers different contexts in which IPT may be practiced, including group therapy, inpatient settings, and telephone therapy.

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Types of Stressors on Nonprofessional Against-Suicide and Pro-Suicide Message Boards

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000562 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (4) ◽

pp. 257-264 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Thomas Niederkrotenthaler ◽

Benedikt Till

Keyword(s):

Content Analysis ◽

Interpersonal Problems ◽

Suicide Method ◽

Presenting Problems ◽

Message Boards ◽

Safe Method ◽

Different Types ◽

Psychiatric Problems

Abstract. Background: Little is known about presenting problems of primary posters (i.e., posters opening the thread) and their responders in nonprofessional against-suicide and pro-suicide message boards. Aims: We aimed to compare problems described in suicide message boards between different types of users (primary posters and respondents) and between against-suicide, neutral, and pro-suicide message boards. Method: In all, 1,182 archival threads with 20,499 individual postings from seven nonprofessional suicide message boards supporting an against-suicide, neutral, or pro-suicide attitude were randomly selected. Problems mentioned by primary posters and their respondents were coded with content analysis. Differences between pro-suicide, neutral, and against suicide boards, as well as correlations between primary posters and respondents, were calculated. Results: Interpersonal problems were most frequently mentioned by primary posters in against-suicide threads (40.9%) and less frequently in pro-suicide threads (11.8%; p < .001). In pro-suicide boards, the most frequent stressors were suicide method-related (e.g., how to identify a safe method: 26.2% vs. 2.5% in against-suicide boards, p < .001). Primary posters resembled respondents in terms of presenting problems in pro-suicide boards, but not in against-suicide boards. Limitations: Only self-reported problems were assessed. Conclusion: The results confirm a stronger focus on death than on life among users in pro-suicide message boards, and posters with similar problems meet in pro-suicide boards. The posters appear to clearly emphasize social strains over psychiatric problems compared with some professional settings.

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Identification and Utility of a Short Form of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-Youth Self-Report (PSC-17-Y)

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759/a000486 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

pp. 56-64

Author(s):

Paul Bergmann ◽

Cara Lucke ◽

Theresa Nguyen ◽

Michael Jellinek ◽

John Michael Murphy

Keyword(s):

Psychosocial Functioning ◽

Short Form ◽

Parent Report ◽

Self Report ◽

Symptom Checklist ◽

Factor Analyses ◽

Youth Self Report ◽

Confirmatory Factor Analyses ◽

Pediatric Symptom Checklist ◽

Exploratory Factor Analyses

Abstract. The Pediatric Symptom Checklist-Youth self-report (PSC-Y) is a 35-item measure of adolescent psychosocial functioning that uses the same items as the original parent report version of the PSC. Since a briefer (17-item) version of the parent PSC has been validated, this paper explored whether a subset of items could be used to create a brief form of the PSC-Y. Data were collected on more than 19,000 youth who completed the PSC-Y online as a self-screen offered by Mental Health America. Exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) were first conducted to identify and evaluate candidate solutions and their factor structures. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) were then conducted to determine how well the data fit the candidate models. Tests of measurement invariance across gender were conducted on the selected solution. The EFAs and CFAs suggested that a three-factor short form with 17 items is a viable and most parsimonious solution and met criteria for scalar invariance across gender. Since the 17 items used on the parent PSC short form were close to the best fit found for any subsets of items on the PSC-Y, the same items used on the parent PSC-17 are recommended for the PSC-Y short form.

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