MIDAS Project Publication Abstracts
McDermut, W., Zimmerman, M., & Chelminski, I. The construct
validity of depressive personality disorder. Journal of Abnormal
Psychology, 2005, 112, 49-60.
This study examined the reliability and validity of the Diagnostic
and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders--4th edition's (DSM-IV;
American Psychiatric Association, 1994) proposed criteria set for
Depressive Personality Disorder (DPD). Nine hundred psychiatric
outpatients underwent comprehensive axis I and II assessments. Participants
also provided data on 4,768 of their first-degree relatives. One
hundred ninety-eight participants (22.0%) met criteria for DPD.
Though there was some overlap, DPD was not redundant with any axis
I or II disorder. Participants with DPD exhibited more axis I and
axis II comorbidity, and greater psychosocial dysfunction, than
participants without DPD. Relatives of participants with DPD had
higher rates of depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, alcohol abuse
disorders, and antisocial personality disorder. The findings of
the current study support the construct validity of DPD. The issues
of whether DPD is an affective disorder or personality disorder
and, if adopted into the psychiatric nomenclature, on what axis
should it be placed, are discussed.
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