Common and differential dimensions of personal identity between psychosis and depression: The relevance of gender and depressive mood

Disturbances in personal identity are recognized in psychosis and depression. However, it is unknown whether these disruptions share common processes across clinical groups, or whether there are unique alterations by group or between men and women within each clinical group. To advance on this question, we compared personal identity dimensions in psychosis and depression and investigated the effects of gender and depressive mood. This study assessed dimensions of personal identity using the repertory grid technique among 85 outpatients with psychosis, 85 outpatients with depressive disorders and 85 healthy controls who were matched by age. Data regarding depressive mood and general functioning was also collected. Results showed that self-discrepancies were higher in psychosis and depression than in controls, and were associated with depressive mood. Interpersonal dichotomous thinking was more prevalent in women in both clinical groups. Women with psychosis showed higher ideal-others discrepancy and had a more complex structure of personal identity than their male counterparts. To conclude, alterations in self-ideal and self-others discrepancies may be transdiagnostic dimensions related to depressive mood. Interpersonal dichotomous thinking may also be a common dimensional characteristic in psychosis and depression but more specific to women. Finally, critical views of others and a higher complexity of personal identity may be more specific to women than men with psychosis. Our results are consistent with other studies pointing to the need for person-focused treatments promoting the recovery of a full sense of personal identity, rather than just focusing on specific thoughts and feelings.

Construing and body dissatisfaction in chronic depression: A study of body psychotherapy

The frequent association of depression with somatic symptoms suggests that body psychotherapy may be an appropriate therapeutic intervention for people with chronic depression. Using a subset of twenty-three participants from a randomized controlled trial that had demonstrated the effectiveness of such an intervention in reducing depressive symptoms, the present study investigated whether it may also impact aspects of construing which have been associated with depression. Patients presenting with chronic depression were randomly allocated to a treatment group or a waiting list group, which received body psychotherapy after a period on a waiting list. Correlations between repertory grid, questionnaire, and visual analogue measures indicated that depression and bodily dissatisfaction were associated with features of the content and structure of construing. There were no significant changes while patients were on the waiting list, but during treatment reduction in depression and bodily dissatisfaction, together with increase in self-esteem and quality of life, were accompanied by an increase in the salience of construing of the bodily self.