Personality traits and resilience mediated by depressive symptoms in a sample of psychotherapy patients: A cross-sectional study.

<h4>Introduction</h4>Resilience is a concept that has been widely studied in different contexts and is related to adaptation to different stress levels. Although research in psychotherapy has produced vast knowledge about the effectiveness and mechanisms that mediate response, there is s...

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Main Authors: Leonardo Gonçalves, Vitória Maria Tabosa Evaldt, Neusa Sica da Rocha
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327846
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author Leonardo Gonçalves
Vitória Maria Tabosa Evaldt
Neusa Sica da Rocha
author_facet Leonardo Gonçalves
Vitória Maria Tabosa Evaldt
Neusa Sica da Rocha
author_sort Leonardo Gonçalves
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Introduction</h4>Resilience is a concept that has been widely studied in different contexts and is related to adaptation to different stress levels. Although research in psychotherapy has produced vast knowledge about the effectiveness and mechanisms that mediate response, there is still no clarity about the role of resilience in this process, especially research in psychotherapy with patients with severe mental illness. Due to the implications of severe mental illness in different areas of life, in these patients, the capacity for resilience may be impaired, and the mechanisms involved in mediating this process are still not well explained.<h4>Objective</h4>Verify the associations between personality traits and resilience and their potential confounders (sociodemographic factors, pharmacological treatment, type of psychotherapy, social support, depressive and anxiety symptoms). Assess depressive symptoms as a possible mediator of the relationship between personality traits and resilience.<h4>Methods</h4>This is a naturalistic cross-sectional study, with 83 participants undergoing psychotherapy from different theoretical lines (psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural, and interpersonal). Sociodemographic characteristics were evaluated, as well as resilience (25-item Connor Davidson Resilience Scale), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), anxious symptoms (Beck Anxiety Inventory), and Personality traits (Personality Inventory for DSM-5).<h4>Results</h4>Resilience was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (B = -12.1, p < 0.001). The mediation effect was significant for depressive symptoms (b = -7.21, BCa 95% CI [-12.6, -3.07]). This variable mediated approximately 46% of the relationship between negative affectivity and resilience.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Resilience was positively associated with antagonism traits and negatively with negative affectivity and depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms mediated 46% of the relationship between negative affectivity and resilience. The main findings of this study contribute to a greater understanding of the mechanisms involved in resilience, thus influencing the mental health outcomes of patients with severe mental illness.
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spelling doaj-art-ca18f59383b74ada93a07a3032b94e4c2025-08-23T05:32:12ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01208e032784610.1371/journal.pone.0327846Personality traits and resilience mediated by depressive symptoms in a sample of psychotherapy patients: A cross-sectional study.Leonardo GonçalvesVitória Maria Tabosa EvaldtNeusa Sica da Rocha<h4>Introduction</h4>Resilience is a concept that has been widely studied in different contexts and is related to adaptation to different stress levels. Although research in psychotherapy has produced vast knowledge about the effectiveness and mechanisms that mediate response, there is still no clarity about the role of resilience in this process, especially research in psychotherapy with patients with severe mental illness. Due to the implications of severe mental illness in different areas of life, in these patients, the capacity for resilience may be impaired, and the mechanisms involved in mediating this process are still not well explained.<h4>Objective</h4>Verify the associations between personality traits and resilience and their potential confounders (sociodemographic factors, pharmacological treatment, type of psychotherapy, social support, depressive and anxiety symptoms). Assess depressive symptoms as a possible mediator of the relationship between personality traits and resilience.<h4>Methods</h4>This is a naturalistic cross-sectional study, with 83 participants undergoing psychotherapy from different theoretical lines (psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural, and interpersonal). Sociodemographic characteristics were evaluated, as well as resilience (25-item Connor Davidson Resilience Scale), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), anxious symptoms (Beck Anxiety Inventory), and Personality traits (Personality Inventory for DSM-5).<h4>Results</h4>Resilience was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (B = -12.1, p < 0.001). The mediation effect was significant for depressive symptoms (b = -7.21, BCa 95% CI [-12.6, -3.07]). This variable mediated approximately 46% of the relationship between negative affectivity and resilience.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Resilience was positively associated with antagonism traits and negatively with negative affectivity and depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms mediated 46% of the relationship between negative affectivity and resilience. The main findings of this study contribute to a greater understanding of the mechanisms involved in resilience, thus influencing the mental health outcomes of patients with severe mental illness.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327846
spellingShingle Leonardo Gonçalves
Vitória Maria Tabosa Evaldt
Neusa Sica da Rocha
Personality traits and resilience mediated by depressive symptoms in a sample of psychotherapy patients: A cross-sectional study.
PLoS ONE
title Personality traits and resilience mediated by depressive symptoms in a sample of psychotherapy patients: A cross-sectional study.
title_full Personality traits and resilience mediated by depressive symptoms in a sample of psychotherapy patients: A cross-sectional study.
title_fullStr Personality traits and resilience mediated by depressive symptoms in a sample of psychotherapy patients: A cross-sectional study.
title_full_unstemmed Personality traits and resilience mediated by depressive symptoms in a sample of psychotherapy patients: A cross-sectional study.
title_short Personality traits and resilience mediated by depressive symptoms in a sample of psychotherapy patients: A cross-sectional study.
title_sort personality traits and resilience mediated by depressive symptoms in a sample of psychotherapy patients a cross sectional study
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0327846
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