Self-criticism, dependency and depressive symptoms in a nationwide sample of Norwegian physicians

This cross-sectional study examines the associations between dysfunctional beliefs concerning self-criticism and dependency and self-reported depressi ve symptoms in a nationwide representative sample of Norwegian physicians ( N = 836). The dysfunctional beliefs were measured by the Dysfunctional Atti tudes Scale (DAS), and depressive symptoms by the "severe depression" subsc ale of the General Health Questionnaire. Women reported more depressive sym ptoms than men, whereas men reported more dysfunctional attitudes, especial ly concerning self-criticism. Both self-criticism and dependency were signi ficantly associated with level of depressive symptoms in male doctors when age and their medical speciality were controlled, whereas no such relations hip was demonstrated in female doctors, except for a bivariate association between depressive symptoms and two single indicators of dependency. (C) 19 99 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.