BACKGROUND: Several studies have explored the relationship between personality and work addiction, suggesting that individuals with certain mental disorders, including personality disorders such as obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), may be more prone to work addiction. However, the characterization of personality organization (PO) among workaholics and its contribution to the persistence of work addiction remains unclear.
METHODS: In this longitudinal study of a representative sample of young adults (N = 1748), we applied the Bergen Work Addiction Scale and the Inventory of Personality Organization.
RESULTS: We found significant correlations between work addiction and identity diffusion, primitive psychological defenses, reality testing, and overall personality disorganization across three waves. A latent class growth analysis revealed three profiles: no work addiction, increasing work addiction, and constant moderate work addiction. Multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated that higher levels of personality disorganization in wave 1 and increases in personality disorganization between waves 1 and 3 were associated with higher odds of belonging to the increasing work addiction group. Similarly, higher overall personality disorganization in wave 1 was associated with higher odds of belonging to the constant moderate work addiction group.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that individuals with chronic work addiction have lower levels of PO, and PO declines as work addiction persists. Screenings for work addiction are recommended to prevent potential mental health issues. Future research should explore the influence of workplace characteristics and work motivations on the association between work addiction and personality disorders.

Personality organization and mentalization of depressive inpatients in a long-term-study Objectives: In a naturalistic long-term follow-up design this study investigated the improvement of depressive symptom severity, mentalization deficiency and personality organization. Methods: 300 patients with depressive symptoms were assessed at three evaluation times (before therapy, after therapy and one to three years after discharge) with the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Scale (PHQ-9), the Mentalization Questionnaire (MZQ) and the Inventory of Personality Organization (IPO-16). Results: Patients improved significantly in depressive symptom severity with strong impact. Especially patients with severe depression symptoms improved in mentalization deficits and personality organization during and after inpatient treatment. Chronic depressive patients improved in mentalization rather than in personality organization. Depressive symptom severity correlates with mentalization deficits and structural impairment. Discussion: Mentalization deficits differed depending on the severity of depression, as other studies already showed. The more severe depressive symptoms, the more likely mentalization deficits and structural impairment improved. However, the lack of control groups limits the causal proof of efficacy. Mentalization deficits and personality organization should be recorded timely in order to choose adequate technique.
Zusammenfassung Fragestellung: In einer naturalistischen Katamnesestudie wurde die Wirksamkeit stationärer psychodynamischer Psychotherapie auf depressive Symptombelastung, Mentalisierungsdefizite und strukturelle Beeinträchtigung im Langzeitverlauf untersucht. Methode: An n = 300 Patienten mit einer depressiven Symptomatik wurden zu drei Erhebungszeitpunkten (vor, am Ende und ein bis drei Jahre nach einer stationären Psychotherapie) die klinische Symptomlast (PHQ-9), Mentalisierungsdefizite (MZQ) sowie die strukturelle Beeinträchtigung (IPO-16) untersucht. Ergebnisse: Die depressive Symptomschwere besserte sich während des stationären Aufenthalts mit großem Effekt. Mentalisierungsdefizite und strukturelle Beeinträchtigung verbesserten sich besonders bei schwer depressiven Patienten signifikant, sowohl während als auch nach stationärer Psychotherapie. Bei chronisch depressiver Symptomatik verbesserten sich die Mentalisierungsdefizite eher als die strukturelle Beeinträchtigung. Die Schwere der Depression steht in Zusammenhang mit Mentalisierungsdefiziten und struktureller Beeinträchtigung. Diskussion: Mentalisierungsdefizite unterschieden sich je nach Schwere und Verlauf der Depression, was einige andere Studien ebenfalls zeigten. Je schwerer die depressive Symptomatik, desto eher verbesserten sich Mentalisierungsdefizite und strukturelle Beeinträchtigung. Durch fehlende Kontrollgruppen ist der kausale Wirksamkeitsnachweis allerdings eingeschränkt. Mentalisierungsdefizite sollten zusammen mit der Persönlichkeitsorganisation für eine adäquate Behandlungstechnik frühzeitig diagnostisch erfasst werden.

UNASSIGNED: The purpose of the present study was threefold: first, to investigate the facial affective behavior in patients with a borderline personality disorder (BPD); second, to examine whether these patients could be divided into clusters according to facial affective behavior; and third, to test whether these clusters would influence the inpatient treatment outcome.
UNASSIGNED: Thirty inpatients with BPD were assessed with the Structured Clinical Interviews for DSM-IV Axis I and II Disorders (SCID I, SCID II) and had to complete a series of questionnaires before and directly after the 12-week long inpatient treatment. Facial affective behavior was recorded during the structured interview for personality organization (STIPO) and afterward coded with the emotional facial action coding system (EMFACS). Measures on psychopathology [beck depression inventory (BDI), Spielberger state and trait anxiety inventory (STAI), Spielberger state and trait anger inventory (STAXI), and symptom cheklist-90-revised (SCL-90-R)], interpersonal problems [Inventory of Interpersonal Problems (IIP)], and personality organization [inventory of personality organization (IPO)] were administered.
UNASSIGNED: Cluster analysis before the treatment yielded two groups that differed in general facial expressivity, and regarding the display of anger, contempt, and disgust. The effect sizes of the repeated measures ANOVAs showed that persons with higher scores on the affective facial expressions benefitted more from the treatment in terms of STAI state anxiety, STAXI state and trait anger, IIP total, and the two scales primitive defenses and identity diffusion of the IPO, whereas persons with lower scores benefitted more on the scale IPO reality testing.
UNASSIGNED: Our results indicated some initial trends for the importance of facial affective behavior in patients with BPD and their treatment outcome.