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The personal nature of depression: Assessing the operation of self‐schema in depression
Author(s) -
Laidlaw Ken,
Davidson Kate M.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
clinical psychology and psychotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.315
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1099-0879
pISSN - 1063-3995
DOI - 10.1002/cpp.282
Subject(s) - psychology , schema (genetic algorithms) , depressed mood , mood , personality , depression (economics) , clinical psychology , cognition , trait , mainstream , developmental psychology , social psychology , psychiatry , philosophy , theology , machine learning , computer science , economics , macroeconomics , programming language
The operation of the self‐schema in depression is investigated using a mainstream measure of personality (NEO PI‐R) that depressed participants complete on two separate occasions. On the first occasion depressed participants provide a view of themselves when depressed (depressed view of self: DVS). On the second occasion depressed participants are asked to disregard their symptoms and provide a view of themselves prior to the onset of depression (imagined pre‐morbid view of self: IPVS). Results indicate depressed participants provide premorbid descriptions of themselves that are significantly different from their present (depressed) self‐view. The two views of self (DVS versus IPVS) are compared to peer descriptions provided by significant others (appraisers). Whereas the depressed views of self are congruent with appraisals provided by significant others, the imagined premorbid views of self are not. Results are discussed in line with cognitive theories of state‐trait vulnerability and mood‐state dependence. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.