Self-perceived level of competitiveness, tension and dependency and depression risk in the SUN cohort

Abstract

[...]in the subgroup analyses performed, we observed that among older subjects (> 35 y) the relative risk was significant only among older participants. [...]the scores for self-perceived personality traits items were derived solely from the response given to three isolated items that report on these traits and not to the application of a standardized complete questionnaire, this may lead to some degree of measurement error. [...]residual confounding is still possible in our study, but we attempted to adjust for the major depression risk factors and other potential confounders to provide utmost validity to our results. [...]the homogeneity of participants in the SUN cohort (all university graduates) may limit the generalizability of our findings to the general population, although it also increases internal validity because the restriction to university graduates reduces many potential sources of confounding.