SOCIOTROPY AND DEPRESSION AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF INTERPERSONAL SENSITIVITY

Abstract

The aim of present study was to see the association between sociotropy and depression and identify the mediating role of interpersonal sensitivity between these variables among University Students. It was hypothized that those who have high sociotropic personality traits will have more interpersonal sensitivity and depressive symptoms. A convenient sample of university students from Lahore was taken. The tools were he Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale (Beck, et al,. 1983) having 60 items with the Cronbach Alpha of .90, Boyce and Parker’s (1989) Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM) with five distinct facets of interpersonal sensitivity 1) timidity, 2) a fragile inner-self, 3) interpersonal awareness, 4) need for approval, 5) interpersonal awareness and separation anxiety, Cronbach Alpha of .85. For the measurement of depression Beck Depression Inventory BDI II (Beck, 1996) with 21 questions with multiple options, on 4 point likert scale (0-3) with a Cronbach Alpha.90 was used. Results indicated the direct as well as indirect effect of interpersonal sensitivity between Sociotropy and depression. Implications for the clinicians and academicians were discussed.