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Self-esteem in Recovered Bipolar and Unipolar Out-patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

D. Pardoen ,
F. Bauwens ,
A. Tracy ,
F. Martin  and
J. Mendlewicz
D. Pardoen*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University Clinics of Brussels, Erasme Hospital, 808, Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
F. Bauwens
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University Clinics of Brussels, Erasme Hospital, 808, Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
A. Tracy
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University Clinics of Brussels, Erasme Hospital, 808, Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
F. Martin
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University Clinics of Brussels, Erasme Hospital, 808, Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
J. Mendlewicz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University Clinics of Brussels, Erasme Hospital, 808, Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium
*
∗Correspondence
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Abstract

The hypothesis of a low self-esteem in depressive patients was tested using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale in 24 recovered unipolar and 27 recovered bipolar patients, compared with a normal control group of 26 subjects matched for age and sex. The hypothesis was confirmed only for unipolars; bipolar patients presented a self-esteem score not significantly different from normal scores. Self-esteem was not related to clinical characteristics of the affective disorder, suggesting that low self-esteem may be a basic component of a depression-prone personality. The investigation of the relationship between self-esteem and social adjustment confirmed the presence of social conformism in bipolar patients and rigidly set low self-esteem in unipolar patients. These results should stimulate the evaluation of different psychotherapeutic treatments in the long-term psychosocial management of affectively ill patients.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 163 , Issue 6 , December 1993 , pp. 755 - 762
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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