Depression and Personality: Conceptual and Clinical Challenges offers an intriguing new look at where we are in understanding the relationship between personality dimensions, disorders, and mood disorder. It is both a cogent update of conceptual models and a clearly written, practical guide to the challenges faced every day by clinicians as they treat patients with depression and bipolar disorder.

Laying the groundwork for subsequent chapters, the editors emphasize the value of not only robust pharmacotherapy augmented by psychosocial interventions (with a focus on the assets rather than the liabilities of a patient''s temperament), but also of a detailed review of where we are today.

An introductory overview provides valuable historical perspective on the evolution of personality from "humors" to body constitution and temperament. In 10 informative chapters, 22 contributors discuss:

Neurobiological Dimensions of Personality

Focusing on affect-related traits as they review the evidence for serotonin and norepinephrine disturbance based on challenge paradigms, and the range of models to understand the interrelationship between personality and depression.

Depressive Personality

In both categorical terms, i.e., adding to the diagnostic armamentarium of DSM-V, and dimensional terms, focusing on the Five Factor Model to provide a link between several facets of neuroticism and depressive personality disorder.

Impact of Personality on Treatment

Filling in a gap in the pharmacotherapy literature by asserting that personality pathology can affect the patient''s capacity to seek, be engaged in, or be compliant with treatment.

Assessment and Treatment Issues

Recommending a multimodal phased treatment approach that involves targeted pharmacotherapy and integrated individual psychotherapy.

Personality Disorder in Chronic Depression

Providing a concise, practical overview of medication and psychotherapy issues regarding the role of Axis II disorders, and the complex relationship between bipolar disorder and personality factors.

Adolescent Depression with Personality Disorder

Providing a conceptual framework for understanding what factors of personality contribute to vulnerability for depression in adolescents, and depression in later life, including particularly relevant issues such as the role of physical illness and organic factors on the clinical presentation of personality and affective disorder.

Invaluable reading for clinicians and researchers alike, Depression and Personality: Conceptual and Clinical Challenges offers fascinating perspectives on the historical antecedents, neurobiological dimensions, and conceptual models regarding the relationship between personality and depression.