Depressive Personality Styles and Interpersonal Problems in Young Adults with Difficulties in Establishing Long-Term Romantic Relationships

This research examined Blatts personality styles in relation to overall interpersonal distress and problems in affiliation and dominance of young adults with difficulties in establishing long-term romantic relationships. Participants were 141 (73 males and 68 females) young adults comprising two groups: with difficulties in establishing longterm romantic relationships and without such difficulties. They completed the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire and the Mental Health Index (MHI), and they and their friend completed the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP-C). Self-criticism and dependency contributed to greater self-reported interpersonal distress, over and above MHI depression and anxiety, while efficacy moderated the effects of these vulnerabilities. Self-criticism contributed to the friend's report of interpersonal distress only for those without difficulties in long-term romantic relationships. The findings are discussed in terms of Blatt's theory on interpersonal relatedness and self-definition in young adult's personality development and the complementary ways the personality styles influence the interpersonal world.