Obsessional personality features in employed Japanese adults with a lifetime history of depression: assessment by the Munich Personality Test (MPT)

Background Although a number of studies have reported on the association be tween obsessional personality features as measured by the Munich Personalit y Test (MPT) "Rigidity" scale and depression, there has been no examination of these relationships in a non-clinical sample. Methods The dimensional s cores on the MPT were compared between subjects with and without lifetime d epression, using a sample of employed Japanese adults. The odds ratio for s uffering from lifetime depression was estimated by multiple logistic regres sion analysis. To diagnose a lifetime history of depression, the Inventory to Diagnose Depression, Lifetime version (IDDL) was used. Results The subje cts with lifetime depression scored significantly higher on the "Rigidity" scale than the subjects without lifetime depression. In our logistic regres sion analysis, three risk factors were identified as each independently inc reasing a person's risk for suffering from lifetime depression: higher leve ls of "Rigidity", being of the female gender, and suffering from current de pressive symptoms. Conclusion The MPT "Rigidity" scale is a sensitive measu re of personality features that occur with depression.