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. 2017 May 30:8:877.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00877. eCollection 2017.

Depression and Identity: Are Self-Constructions Negative or Conflictual?

Adrián Montesano  1   2 , Guillem Feixas  1 , Franz Caspar  3 , David Winter  4
Affiliations

Depression and Identity: Are Self-Constructions Negative or Conflictual?

Adrián Montesano et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Negative self-views have proved to be a consistent marker of vulnerability for depression. However, recent research has shown that a particular kind of cognitive conflict, implicative dilemma, is highly prevalent in depression. In this study, the relevance of these conflicts is assessed as compared to the cognitive model of depression of a negative view of the self. In so doing, 161 patients with major depression and 110 controls were assessed to explore negative self-construing (self-ideal discrepancy) and conflicts (implicative dilemmas), as well as severity of symptoms. Results showed specificity for the clinical group indicating a pattern of mixed positive and negative self-descriptions with a high rate of conflict. Regression analysis lent support to the conflict hypothesis in relation to clinically relevant indicators such as symptom severity, global functioning. However, self-ideal discrepancy was a stronger predictor of group membership. The findings showed the relevance of cognitive conflicts to compliment the well-consolidated theory of negative self-views. Clinical implications for designing interventions are discussed.

Keywords: cognitive conflicts; cognitive therapy; constructivist therapy; implicative dilemmas; major depression; repertory grid technique; self-esteem; self-ideal discrepancy.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Structure of an implicative dilemma.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Receiver operating curve to test regression model accuracy.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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