Dysthymia and depressive personality: clinical differentiation

Abstract

Introduction: Personality and depressive disorders are frequently associated in clinical samples. If these are chronical or have residual symptoms, it is more difficult their differentiation from personality traits. An example of this is the present polemic about dysthymia and depressive personality disorder. The aim of this study is to differentiate them clinically.

Method: A outpatient sample of patients in a MHC with nonpsychotic affective disorders is randomized and recruited. Two groups are made, with dysthymia or depressive personality disorder. They are differentiated according clinical variables and personality disorders comorbidity.

Results: Patients with depressive personality disorder are more associated with group C and schizoid personality disorder and dysthymic patients with group B personality disorder (axis II-DSM-IV). There is also some dimensional differentiation between them.

Conclusions: Depressive personality disorder and dysthymia are different constructs, though there is overlapping with several traits. It is neccesary a longitudinal study in order to see clearly clinical and comorbidity differences.