Sociotropy, Autonomy, and the Interpersonal Model of Depression: An Integration

The interpersonal model of depression developed by Coyne proposes that depression leads to a number of negative interpersonal consequences. We hypothesized that underlying personality traits, particularly autonomy, moderate this relationship. Patients with depression (n = 41) and normal controls (n = 41) were assessed on sociotropy and autonomy and participated in a brief interactional task. Sociotropy was associated with a higher level of interpersonal relatedness during the task, whereas autonomy and depression were associated with orientation toward oneself. Depression and autonomy, particularly in combination, were related to fewer positive social behaviors and to partner rejection. Moreover, social behavior mediated the relationship among depression, autonomy, and rejection. The results suggest that the interpersonal model of depression could be made more specific with the inclusion of these personality factors. Clinical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed.