Using early recollections to explore personality trait, self-efficacy, and insight in depressive patients

Abstract

Objective: Early life experience forms a template for the self-perception of an individual, and negative representations make individuals vulnerable to depression. To explore the deep inner world of patients with depression using objective early life experience measures is not easy. In the present study, we intended to clarify the use of subjective early recollections (ER) in exploring the inner world of depressive patients. Methods: We interviewed 80 depressive inpatients with ER and evaluated whether they had a feeling sense of belonging to their caregivers, and whether they had a positive self-image. They were also assessed using the Taiwanese version Type D Scale-14, Chinese version General Self-efficacy Scale, the Taiwanese version of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and Insight Interview. Results: Independent t-test was used to test the significant differences between feeling belonging/not feeling belonging groups and between positive or negative self-image groups on the variables of Type D personality traits, self-efficacy, illness insight, and comorbid psychiatric disorders with effect sizes ranging from 0.4 to 1.3. Conclusion: Our study showed that ER could function as a window through which depressive patients' inner life. Thus, we suggested that ER can be considered an important part of the clinical assessment methods for depressive patients.