Neurotic Personality Traits in Patients with Subtypes of Affective Disorders

Abstract

To determine the neurotic personality traits associated with subtypes of affective disorders a sample of 91 primary depressed subjects and 59 neurotic subjects with secondary depression when recovered were tested on a constructed self-report questionnaire for the presence of neurotic traits. The primary depressions were divided into manic-depressive. endogenous. and non-endogenous depressions. The neurotic personality profiles of subjects with manic-depressive and of patients with endogenous depression were very similar. and the presence of neurotic traits to a great extent was rare among these patients. Non-endogenous depression was related more often to a personality with lack of self-confidence and anti-aggressive traits than manic-depressive and endogenous depressions were. But most of the neurotic traits reported were mild, and the non-endogenous primary depression was less related to a neurotic personality than the depression secondary to a neurosis. The relationship between non-endogenous primary depression and the concept of neurotic or reactive depression was discussed.