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Personality Factors in Mental Disorders of Later Life

Received October 7, 1999; revised December 3, 1999, April 7, 2000; accepted May 3, 2000. From the Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center. Address correspondence to Dr. Seidlitz, Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, 300 Crittenden Boulevard, Rochester, NY 14610.

The roles of personality factors in psychopathology are most often examined from the standpoint of personality disorders, but this approach may usefully be complemented by other theoretical and methodological perspectives. In particular, individual personalities can be conceptualized as having measurable degrees of various stable traits or as demonstrating evidence of various dynamic processes, such as specific cognitive, motivational, or emotional patterns. The author discusses these three basic approaches, reviews recent representative studies from each, and indicates directions for further research. A concluding section suggests ways to integrate the various approaches to more fully understand personality factors in late-life mental disorders.

Key Words: Depression • Alzheimer's Disease • Personality Disorder