In the search to identify risk factors for depression in children, researchers Aaron Beck, Sidney Blatt, and their colleagues developed the congruency model, which identifies two personality types that may put a child at an increased risk for depression.
Personality Types
In discussing which personality types may be predisposed to depression, it is important to first define what a personality type is.
Some researchers believe that there are a limited number of personality types, which are a combination of stable personality characteristics that work together to influence how a person thinks, feels, and behaves.
The congruency model assumes that when a negative event occurs and is congruent with, or matches, a person's personality type, their risk for depression will increase.
1. Social-Dependent Personality
A person with a social-dependent personality, or conditional interpersonal orientation, relies heavily on the approval of others. They tend to feel good about themselves when they think others like them, but bad about themselves when they feel ignored, rejected, or disapproved of. They may be described as "needy" or "clingy."
As you can imagine, those with a social-dependent personality have rapid changes in their self-esteem because they cannot control how others feel about them. These fluctuations open a child up to depressive episodes, especially in the face of negative life events that involves the change or loss of a relationship, or other negative social consequence.
2. Achievement-Dependent Personality
A child with an achievement-dependent personality, or conditional achievement orientation, is highly dependent on achievement outcomes. Achievements might be academic, sports, or arts-related. These children base their feelings of self-worth on their ability to succeed and control the world around them. Typically, they hold themselves to very high standards and are rarely satisfied with their own accomplishments, even when they are quite impressive. These children may be described by others as "perfectionists," "competitive," or "hard to please."
Children with an achievement-dependent personality feel good about themselves when they meet their achievement expectations, but bad about themselves when they do not. Given such a conditional sense of self-worth, it is not surprising that these children are prone to depressive episodes when a negative achievement-related event occurs. This might be a poor grade, denied acceptance into a program or school, and so on.
How to Help
You know your child better than anyone, so you may be aware that she is more socially-dependent or more achievement-oriented. Neither orientation is necessarily cause for concern.
Most children will feel bad temporarily after a disagreement with a friend or a disappointment, but not all children will go on to develop depression. It is thought that the children who exhibit the most extreme signs of either personality type are most at-risk of developing depression as a result of a congruent negative event.
Nonetheless, parents can use this information to be aware that some children are simply more prone to depression following certain negative events. If you are aware of your child's dependence on academic achievement or social approval, be on the look out for signs and symptoms of depression following a related negative event. If you notice that her symptoms are not improving after an extended period of time, it may be time to have her evaluated by a professional.
Identifying depression and determining an effective treatment as early as possible is essential for your child's recovery, and may contribute to less frequent and less intense future depressive episodes.
Sources:
Beck, A.T. (1983). Cognitive Therapy of Depression. New Perspective. In. P.J. Clayton & J.E. Barrett (Eds.), Treatment of Depression: Old Controversies and New Approaches. New York: Raven Press: 265-290.
Blatt, S.J. D'Affittt, J.P., & Quinlan, D.M. (1976). Experiences of Depression in Normal Young Adults. Journal of Abnormal Psychology; 85: 383-389.
Jonathon D. Brown. The Self. New York: McGraw-Hill; 1998.
Paul A. Frewen, M.A., David J.A. Dozois, PhD. Self-Worth Appraisal of Life Events ad Beck's Congruency Model of Depression Vulnerability. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly. 20(2); 2006: 231-240.
Ulrich Orth, Richard W. Robins, Brent W. Roberts. Low Self-Esteem Prospectively Predicts Depression in Adolescence and Young Adulthood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 2008; 95(3): 695-708.
