What Is Really Important When You Are
Depressed?
May 28, 2007
What are the values and inconsistencies in patients who are depressed? A group
of investigators of the University of Jena has attempted to identify these
aspects in the May issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. In this study, the
Authors used the Intrapersonal Conflict Test to assess cognitive inconsistencies
in goals or values.
A total of 53 inpatients with unipolar depression and 24 nondepressed controls
(inpatients of an internal and a surgery ward) participated in the study. In
addition to the Intrapersonal Conflict Test, patients completed the Beck
Depression Inventory, the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale, the Inventory of
Interpersonal Problems as well as the Problem Solving Inventory. Compared with
controls, patients with depressive disorders showed significantly more
inconsistencies within different goals/values, as well as between goals/values
and their perceived realization. These internal conflicts appear to be
correlated with interpersonal problems, and with a poor capacity of problem
solving. These internal conflicts were partially mediated by interpersonal
problems but not by depressive symptoms or cognitive vulnerability factors. The
findings of this exploratory study do not allow for conclusions regarding the
role of intrapersonal conflicts in the development and course of depression.
Nevertheless, the high levels of intrapersonal conflicts observed in the study
suggest that inconsistencies in goals or values should be considered in the
psychological treatment of depression.
Psychotherapy
And Psychosomatics
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