The self-confrontation method and the assessment of depression: A between groups comparison study.

Abstract

Contemporary approaches to depression have focused on the behavioral and cognitive features of depression often to the exclusion of the affective dimensions and patterning. Use of the Self-Confrontation Method (SCM; Hermans & Hermans-Jansen, 1995) --a constructivist assessment strategy that emphasizes idiographic and nomothetic affective dimensions of personality-- is proposed as a viable approach to the assessment of depression. Following a description of the SCM and its theoretical underpinnings, a study is presented. The purpose was to examine the valuations and affective patterns of depressed and non-depressed individuals utilizing the SCM. It was hypothesized that when compared to depressed participants, non-depressed participants would have (a) significantly higher S, O, and P scores and (b) significantly lower N scores. 23 female college students were assessed for level of depression and then administered the SCM. 12 women in the depressed group scored significantly higher on negative affect and significantly lower on affect toward self, affect toward other, and positive affect than the 11 women in the non-depressed group. The results suggest that the SCM may be a valuable tool in the assessment of depression. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)