Biomedical subjects

J Q Morse

Publications and source records attributed to J Q Morse.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

A preliminary investigation of self-reported personality disorders in late life: prevalence, predictors of depressive severity, and clinical correlates.

Previous research suggests that personality disorders, particularly in clusters A and C, persist into late life, are particularly prevalent in late-life depressed samples, and negatively impact treatment of late-life depression. The present study examined the self-reported personality disorder traits of a sample of 65 depressed elders using the Wisconsin Personality Disorder Inventory IV (WISPI IV). As expected, clusters A and C were most prevalent and the presence of a personality disorder predicted the maintenance or re-emergence of depressive symptoms, as did hopelessness and ambivalence regarding emotional expression. No specific personality disorder traits were associated with clinical features of late-life depression (age of onset, number of previous episodes) while some personality disorder traits were associated with psychological correlates of depression (hopelessness, ambivalence regarding emotional expression, thought suppression). A theoretical explanation for the cluster prevalence based on self-verification is discussed along with a profile of elderly patients who may have poor depression treatment course if they exhibit personality disorder traits, particularly interpersonal rigidity or avoidance, chronic hopelessness, and emotional inhibition.

Affect↗

PubMed2004

A model predicting suicidal ideation and hopelessness in depressed older adults: the impact of emotion inhibition and affect intensity.

The purpose of this study was to begin a preliminary examination of constructs theorized to be related to suicidal behavior by testing a model of the influence of both temperament and emotion regulation on suicidal ideation and hopelessness in a sample of depressed older adults. The model was evaluated using structural equation modeling procedures in a sample of depressed, older adults. Findings supported a temporally predictive model in which negative affect intensity and reactivity lead to emotion inhibition, operationalized as ambivalence over emotional expression and thought suppression, which in turn lead to increased presence of suicidal predictors, operationalized as hopelessness and suicidal ideation. These results suggest that suicide prevention efforts in older adults may be improved by targeting emotion inhibition in treatment, especially among affectively intense and reactive older adults.

Affect↗

PubMed2001

Couple functioning in depression: the roles of sociotropy and autonomy.

We evaluated the hypothesis that interpersonal relationships of depressed persons would vary as a function of the personality variables sociotropy and autonomy. Depressed psychiatric patients who reported being in a current intimate relationship for at least six months were administered measures of sociotropy, autonomy, and several aspects of relationship functioning. Results indicated that sociotropy was related significantly to patients' reporting their own behavior as demanding and their partners' behavior as withdrawing, whereas autonomy was related to patients' reporting their partners' behavior as demanding and their own behavior as withdrawing. Autonomy also was related to greater relationship dissatisfaction, and there was a trend for autonomy to be related to greater criticism of the partner. The results are consistent with a model in which sociotropy and autonomy increase vulnerability to depression, in part, through their effects on interpersonal relationships.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Personality disorders in late life.

There is growing empiric evidence to suggest that a large number of elderly patients who have chronic depression frequently have comorbid personality disorders as well. In addition, contrary to commonly held clinical beliefs, a recent meta-analysis suggests that rates of personality disorders among older adults are essentially equivalent to that of younger groups. Although understudied, personality-disordered elderly patients have been shown to be less responsive to mental health interventions, and personality dysfunction may be one of the most relevant factors to account for when examining late-life depression remission and relapse. The paper considers briefly the notion of personality and personality disorders in late-life, examines prevalence rates including a recent meta-analysis, explores relevant issues associated with treatment, and discusses new developments in treatment.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1999

Self and observer reports of interpersonal problems in couples.

This study investigated self-partner agreement on a measure of interpersonal problems as well as the relationship between discrepancy in self-partner ratings and self-reported symptomatology. Both partners of 49 young adult couples rated themselves and their partners on the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems(IIP Horowitz, Rosenberg, Baer, Ureño, & Villaseñor, 1988). The results demonstrated that couples generally evidenced significant agreement in characterizing the interpersonal problems of each target person, suggesting that the substantial self-partner agreement previously reported for personality traits generalizes to the domain of interpersonal problems. Results also indicated that the relationship between self-partner discrepancy and symptomatology depended on the target person's gender. Finally, the data provide preliminary evidence of the psychometric properties of an observer form of the IIP, including its circular structure.

Adult↗