Report

The inferiority complex in paranoia readdressed. A study with the Implicit Association Test

Author(s) / Creator(s)

von Collani, Gernot
Werner, Ronny
Moritz, Steffen

Abstract / Description

It has been theorised that patients with persecutory delusions display a lack of covert self-esteem (formerly termed the 'inferiority complex'), while at the same time displaying normal or even heightened levels of explicit self-esteem. However, the empirical basis for this assumption is inconsistent. Methods. In view of apparent shortcomings of prior studies to assess implicit self-esteem, the Implicit Association Test was utilised to readdress this theory. The Rosenberg scale served as an index of overt self-esteem. A total of 23 schizophrenic patients, 13 of whom showed current symptoms of persecutory delusions, participated in the study; 41 healthy and 14 depressed participants served as controls. Results. Schizophrenic patients showed decreased levels of both implicit and explicit self-esteem relative to healthy controls. In line with recent studies, patients with current ideas of persecutory delusions displayed greater explicit self-esteem than nonparanoid patients. Conclusions. The present study lends partial support for the notion that persecutory delusions serve as a defence against low implicit self-esteem, although the explicit self-esteem of these patients is still lower than in normal participants. Apart from abnormalities of attributional style, which have been assumed to convert low into high self-esteem, the assumption that a 'feeling of personal significance' heightens self-esteem in paranoid schizophrenia deserves further consideration.

Keyword(s)

Wahn Minderwertigkeitsgefühl Selbstvertrauen Depression Schizophrenie IAT Wahn Minderwertigkeitsgefühl Selbstvertrauen Depression Schizophrenie IAT delusion inferiority complex self-esteem schizophrenia depression Implicit Association Test

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2006

Citation

  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    von Collani, Gernot
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Werner, Ronny
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Moritz, Steffen
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2022-11-17T11:02:15Z
  • Made available on
    2007-12-18
  • Made available on
    2016-07-14T06:09:56Z
  • Made available on
    2022-11-17T11:02:15Z
  • Date of first publication
    2006
  • Abstract / Description
    It has been theorised that patients with persecutory delusions display a lack of covert self-esteem (formerly termed the 'inferiority complex'), while at the same time displaying normal or even heightened levels of explicit self-esteem. However, the empirical basis for this assumption is inconsistent. Methods. In view of apparent shortcomings of prior studies to assess implicit self-esteem, the Implicit Association Test was utilised to readdress this theory. The Rosenberg scale served as an index of overt self-esteem. A total of 23 schizophrenic patients, 13 of whom showed current symptoms of persecutory delusions, participated in the study; 41 healthy and 14 depressed participants served as controls. Results. Schizophrenic patients showed decreased levels of both implicit and explicit self-esteem relative to healthy controls. In line with recent studies, patients with current ideas of persecutory delusions displayed greater explicit self-esteem than nonparanoid patients. Conclusions. The present study lends partial support for the notion that persecutory delusions serve as a defence against low implicit self-esteem, although the explicit self-esteem of these patients is still lower than in normal participants. Apart from abnormalities of attributional style, which have been assumed to convert low into high self-esteem, the assumption that a 'feeling of personal significance' heightens self-esteem in paranoid schizophrenia deserves further consideration.
    en
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bsz:291-psydok-10314
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11780/3607
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.8930
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Is part of
    Psychology Press: Taylor & Francis Group; Cognitive Neuropsychiatry: Volume 11, Issue 4 July 2006, pages 402 - 415
  • Keyword(s)
    Wahn
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Minderwertigkeitsgefühl
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Selbstvertrauen
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Depression
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Schizophrenie
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    IAT
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Wahn
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Minderwertigkeitsgefühl
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Selbstvertrauen
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Depression
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    Schizophrenie
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    IAT
    de
  • Keyword(s)
    delusion
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    inferiority complex
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    self-esteem
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    schizophrenia
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    depression
    en
  • Keyword(s)
    Implicit Association Test
    en
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    The inferiority complex in paranoia readdressed. A study with the Implicit Association Test
    en
  • DRO type
    report
  • Visible tag(s)
    PsyDok