Emotional conscience in individuals with affective disorders.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to analyse the functioning of emotional conscience in individuals with mood disorders, taking into account the differences between patients with recurrent depression and patients with bipolar disorder. The dependence of the susceptibility to experiencing particular moral feelings on the symptoms of the illness - both on their type and severity - was also a subject of consideration.

Methods: Results from 131 subjects were analysed, including 44 patients with bipolar disorder, 33 patients with recurrent depression and 54 individuals without a diagnosis of mental disorders. More women (67%) than men (33%) took part in the study, the average age of the respondents was 43 years. The following research methods were used: the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and the Moral Feelings Scale (SUM-5).

Results: Statistically significant differences were observed between the examined groups in the functioning of emotional conscience assessed using the SUM-5. Patients with mood disorders described themselves as experiencing some of the distinguished moral emotions with different susceptibility than healthy individuals. Similarly, different experiencing of these types of feelings was noticed in groups of patients with recurrent depression and bipolar disorder. The dependence of the functioning of their emotional conscience on the type and severity of experienced symptoms, assessed on the HAM-D and YMRS scales, was also noted.

Conclusions: The emotional conscience of people with mood disorders may have specific features, that are less pronounced in healthy subjects. Taking this into account seems to be an important aspect of understanding patients, helpful when building a healing relationship with them.