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 Centre for Addictionand Mental Health |
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Research
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Personality and Psychopathology: Research Annual Report 2003Section Head: Dr. R. Michael Bagby Research in the Personality and Psychopathology Research Section examines a broad range of themes related to personality and
psychopathology. We also develop tests and instruments to assess personality and related constructs, and develop strategies
to assess and treat mental disorders using the Internet. Personality and Cognitive Vulnerability and Problem Gambling Surprisingly little is known about the personality and cognitive characteristics of people with gambling problems. Drs. R. Michael Bagby and Peter Farvolden are attempting to identify personality and cognitive factors that distinguish people who remain "social gamblers" from those whose gambling activities escalate into a dysfunction or problem gambling. Results to date suggest that, in contrast to people with gambling problems who seek treatment, people with gambling problems who do not seek treatment and social gamblers are not characterized by high levels of psychopathology or alterations in cognitive functioning. This finding challenges conventional thinking about problem gambling. Behavioural Inhibition, Behavioural Activation, Personality and Novelty Based mainly on research on how animals learn, Gray's influential motivational model (1994) proposes biological systems that mediate all of our different motivations and emotions: the behavioural inhibition system (BIS), the behavioural activation system (BAS) and the flight-fight system. Gray's BIS and BAS offer promise for explaining a variety of normal and psychopathological behaviour. We are developing novel paradigms to study the relations between BIS and BAS sensitivity, other systems of personality and preference for novelty. We are tentatively exploring connections to psychopathology by examining these relationships in different patient groups. Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, Anxiety Sensitivity and Attachment According to current explanations of panic disorder and agoraphobia (PD/AG), panic attacks are the result of a "false alarm" combined with an over-attentiveness to internal bodily sensations and/or a tendency to catastrophize. Although there is considerable support for the current explanations of PD/AG there is also some evidence that increased vulnerability to separation distress and/or an "insecure" attachment style may also have an important role in PD/AG. Results to date suggest that neuroticism and attachment style predict anxiety sensitivity, which in turn predicts severity
and intensity of panic symptoms. These results suggest some benefit from using personality and attachment dimensions to better
understand the onset and maintenance of PD/AG. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is an extremely prevalent mental health problem with vast socio-emotional and economic costs. A continuing challenge in the treatment of MDD is the high rates of relapse and recurrence. This project examines the potential role of "positive" traits such as behavioural activation sensitivity, extraversion, ability to experience positive mood and "positive" cognitive biases in predicting response to treatment and relapse in depression. Results to date suggest that response to a positive mood induction may help predict treatment response. Internet Assessment and Treatment Considerable data suggest that the Internet can be a powerful tool for delivering collaborative assessment and treatment. We have recently presented data supporting the potential utility of a Web-based tool for assessing depression and anxiety disorders in primary care. In addition, we have presented data supporting the reach, patterns of use and potential efficacy of a free Web-based smoking cessation program. Application of the Five-Factor Model of Personality to Psychopathology Recognition of the limitations associated with the categorical approach to personality psychopathology has led to the development of several new dimensional models of personality psychopathology. Our ongoing research attempts to find if the dimensions of personality represented by the Five-Factor Model of Personality can be applied successfully to a variety of patient samples and used to better understand the relevant neurobiology, psycho-pharmacology and structure of personality psychopathology. This project attempts to unify two parallel lines of research examining vulnerability to depression. One line shows that pet scans in patients with depression display specific patterns to induced sad mood; the other shows that individuals who have a high score on "neuroticism" are vulnerable to develop depression. Our research examines whether never-depressed "normal" subjects with high neuroticism scores show the same response as people who are depressed or were previously depressed. These results have recently been published in Neuroimage. Personality as a Mediator of Treatment Outcome This ongoing project, now in its third year, examines whether different types of personality traits (dependency and self-criticism) moderate and/or mediate treatment outcome differently in three standard and empirically established effective interventions for depression (interpersonal therapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy and pharmacotherapy). Previous studies have shown that all these treatments are about equally effective, but no study has systematically examined whether targeting depressive symptoms related to personality traits mediates outcome differently. Personality, Life Stress and Recurrent Major Depression More than half of all people with major depression will have multiple recurrent episodes throughout their lives; the impact is often devastating. Recurrence of depression is also an ongoing burden on the public health system. For these reasons, we are trying to understand the mechanism that perpetuates the recurrence of depression. Several risk factors for recurrent depression include childhood adversity, personality style and poor social support. But what is the mechanism that underlies the relationship between these risk factors and recurrence? In collaboration with Dr. Kate Harkness (Queen's University), Dr. Bagby is conducting research to see if people who have both depression and a history of childhood adversity, disrupted personality and poor interpersonal functioning are generating stressful events that precipitate new episodes of depression. If this is found to be true, treatments that target stress generation may ultimately help prevent depression from becoming a lifelong disorder. Drs. Harkness and Bagby have recently received an operating grant from the Ontario Mental Health Foundation to examine this causal model of depression recurrence, with clear targets for treatment and prevention. |
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Last updated: Aug 25, 2004 11:05 AM Published: Jul 01, 2011 5:56 AM ID#P5721 |