CHRONIC MOOD DISORDER AND DEPRESSIVE PERSONALITY

This article considers the relationship between chronic mood disorders and depressive personality from several perspectives. A historical ov erview of various theoretical, descriptive, and empirically based typo logies is provided as well as a review of the relevant classifications from the psychiatric nomenclatures. The defining features of the diff erent conceptions of chronic depression and depressive personality the n are considered within the framework of dimensional models of persona lity, including the dimensions of positive and negative affectivity, a nd the five-factor model. It is proposed that these dimensional models may provide a useful integrating framework for future work in this ar ea.