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.