Mood Emot.  2021 Jul;19(2):35-46. 10.35986/me.2021.19.2.35.

Relationship between Stress-Coping and Personality in Patients with Bipolar and Depressive Disorders

• Lim HJ
• Moon E
• Suh H
• Yang SK
• Park JM
• Lee BD
• Lee YM
• Jeong HJ
• Kim SY
• Lee KY
• Chung YI

• KMID: 2525653
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.35986/me.2021.19.2.35

Abstract

Background
Personality might be one of the important factors related to stress-coping in mood disorders. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between personality and stress-coping strategies in patients with bipolar and depressive disorders.
Methods
A total of 195 patients diagnosed with bipolar and depressive disorders according to the criteria mentioned in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders’ 5th edition were included. Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to analyze the relationship between personality, measured by Temperament and Character Inventory and NEO-Five Factor Inventory, and coping strategies, measured by Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations.
Results
Self-directedness was reported to be positively associated with task-oriented coping in bipolar disorders, and harm avoidance was negatively associated with task-oriented coping in depressive disorders. Beck Depression Inventory score, neuroticism, and extroversion were found to be positively associated with emotion-oriented coping in bipolar disorders, and neuroticism was positively associated with emotion-oriented coping in depressive disorders. Extroversion was reported to be positively associated with avoidance-oriented coping in bipolar disorders, and extroversion, novelty seeking, and reward dependence were positively associated with avoidance-oriented coping in depressive disorders.
Conclusion
This study concluded that the relationship between personality and stress-coping strategies may vary based on the type of mood disorder that is diagnosed. The interaction between personality and stress-coping might be considered for the modification of coping strategies in mood disorders.

Keyword

Bipolar disorder; Coping skills; Depressive disorder; Personality