Dependency and self-criticism in bipolar and unipolar depressed women

Objectives. The dependency and self-criticism scores of women with historie s of either unipolar disorder (N = 74) or bipolar disorder (N = 20) or no p sychiatric history (N = 24) were compared to determine the influence of sta te depression on these personality dimensions. Design. All women completed the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire and th e Beck Depression Inventory. Patients were divided into currently depressed and remitted groups. Results. Currently depressed women with unipolar disorder were more self-cr itical and dependent than non-psychiatric controls; women with unipolar dis order whose depression remitted were more self-critical only. Women in both the depressed and remitted bipolar groups were more self-critical than con trols. Depressed bipolar patients did not differ from the controls in their level of dependency; remitted bipolar patients were significantly less dep endent than controls. Conclusions. Dependency needs in depressed women are heavily influenced by mood state. Self-criticism appears to be a characterological trait in both major depression and bipolar disorder. Women with bipolar disorder in remis sion report fewer dependency needs than women with no history of psychiatri c disorder. The data provide partial support for Blatt's (1974) hypothesis that dependency and self-criticism reflect relatively stable personality di mensions in patients with a mood disorder.