Associations of antidepressant medication consumption with changes in personality pathology and quality of life among community-dwelling adults

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Vittengl, Jeffrey R.^a; | Jarrett, Robin B.^b | Ro, Eunyoe^c | Clark, Lee Anna^d

Affiliations: [a] Department of Psychology, Truman State University, Kirksville, MO, USA | [b] Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA | [c] Department of Psychology, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL, USA | [d] Department of Psychology, Notre Dame University, Notre Dame, IN, USA

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Jeffrey R. Vittengl, Department of Psychology, Truman State University, 100 E. Normal St., Kirksville, MO 63501, USA. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Although antidepressant medication (ADM) has produced small advantages over pill placebo in randomized controlled trials, consuming ADM has predicted prospectively increasing depressive symptom severity in samples of community-dwelling adults. OBJECTIVE:We extended the community literature by testing ADM’s relations to changes in personality and quality of life that may underpin depression. METHOD:In this longitudinal, observational study, community-dwelling adults (N = 601) were assessed twice, 8 months apart on average. Assessments included depressive symptoms, personality, life satisfaction and quality, and prescription medication consumption. RESULTS:Consuming ADM at time 1 predicted relative increases in depressive symptoms (dysphoria), maladaptive traits (negative affect, negative temperament, disinhibition, low conscientiousness), personality dysfunction (non-coping, self-pathology), and decreases in life satisfaction and quality from time 1 to 2, before and after adjustment for age, gender, race, income, education, physical health problems, and use of other psychotropics. In no analysis did ADM use predict better outcomes. CONCLUSION:Among community-dwelling adults, ADM use is a risk factor for psychosocial deterioration in domains including depressive symptoms, personality pathology, and quality of life. Until mechanisms connecting ADM to poor outcomes in community samples are understood, additional caution in use of ADM and consideration of empirically supported non-pharmacologic treatments is prudent.

Keywords: Antidepressant medications, personality, quality of life, risk, community

DOI: 10.3233/JRS-230016

Journal: International Journal of Risk & Safety in Medicine, vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 5-18, 2024