Available online at www.ijmrhs.com I n t e r n a t i o n a l J o u r n a l o f M e d i c a l R e s e a r c h & H e a l t h S c i e n c e s • I J M R H S • International Journal of Medical Research & Health Sciences, 2020, 9(2): 32-42 32 ISSN No: 2319-5886 ABSTRACT Background: Psychoeducation treatment sessions have been used to treat patients with major depressive disorder and eating disorder symptoms. These treatment sessions have also been used in patients with eating disorder and associated personality traits. Aim: This study investigated the impact of a psychoeducational intervention on personality traits of patients with both eating disorder symptoms and major depressive disorder. Methods: Fifty outpatients with diagnoses of major depressive disorder and bulimia were recruited in this study. Twenty-fve patients received the psychoeducation treatment of six sessions, each of 90 minutes/week, whereas the other 25 patients did not receive the program. The Beck depression inventory (BDI), Eating disorders inventory (EDI), psychiatric and medical history information, and sociodemographic characteristics were measured in the initial assessment and again at the time of discharge from the program. Results: The psychoeducation program reduced the severity of depression and eating disorders of bulimia and body dissatisfaction in treated patients more than in control patients (p<0.0001). The program blocked further drive for thinness in treated patients in comparison to the control patients who continued to have increased drive for thinness (p=0.001). The intervention program also reduced the severity levels of psychological traits related to eating disorder named inefectiveness, interpersonal distrust, interoceptive distrust, perfectionism, and maturity fears in treated patients when compared to control patients (p<0.001). Conclusion: Utilization of educational intervention in depressive patients with eating disorders can not only mitigate the level of depression and eating disorder symptoms but also improve the psychological traits associated with eating disorders. Keywords: Depression, Eating disordered, Personality traits, Psychoeducation Administration of Psychoeducational Treatment Programs Improves Depression, Eating Disorders, and Associated Psychological Traits Shwan A. Qadir 1 * and Salwa Shakir Muhsin 2 1 Family and Community Health Nursing Department, College of Nursing, University of Sulaimani, Kurdistan, Iraq 2 Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Department, College of Nursing, University of Sulaimani, Kurdistan, Iraq *Corresponding e-mail: shwan.qadir@univsul.edu.iq INTRODUCTION Depression is a mental disorder that is characterized by persistent sadness and a loss of interest, accompanied by an inability to carry out daily activities, for at least two weeks. Depression is a highly prevalent disease. It is estimated that more than 300 million people worldwide sufer from depression. The World Health Organization classifes depression as the leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of diseases [1]. The impact of depression; which is also called a major depressive disorder, unipolar depression, or clinical depression, on the physiology and biochemistry of the brain and its neurotransmitter functions and concentrations results not only in various impaired physical functions but also in changes in the mood and behaviors of patients. One of the major disease causes or outcomes is eating disorder. The latter is now considered a mental disorder marked by severe disturbances to a person’s eating behaviors. Obsessions with food, body weight, and shape may be signs of an eating disorder. These disorders can afect a person’s physical and mental health and can result in life-threatening conditions in some cases [2]. Common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. There are various personality traits and individual characteristics and experiences that are associated with the development of eating disorders. In this regard, perfectionism, interpersonal distrust, maturity fears, interoceptive distrust, and inefectiveness were found to play roles in predicting the onset and maintenance of eating disorder of bulimic symptoms and body dissatisfaction of weight and shape concerns [3-5].