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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder

Published on: March 8, 2018

Self-discrepancy in students with bipolar disorder II or NOS.

Y Alatiq¹, C Crane, J M G Williams

¹University of Oxford, Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK. yalatiq@gmail.com

Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry

|December 29, 2009

Summary

Students with a history of hypomania, particularly those without depression, perceived themselves as closer to their feared selves than healthy peers. This suggests the feared-self concept is important for understanding bipolar disorder self-representation.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder

Published on: March 8, 2018

Area of Science:

Psychology
Psychiatry
Self-Representation Studies

Background:

Previous research on bipolar disorder self-representation focused on self-esteem and patient state (episode/remission).
This study explores multi-dimensional self-aspects (actual-ideal, actual-feared selves) in students.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate self-discrepancies in students with a history of hypomania (with or without depression) compared to healthy controls.
To examine multi-dimensional aspects of self-representation in bipolar disorder.

Main Methods:

Utilized the Self-Discrepancy Questionnaire (SDQ) with student samples.
Assessed similarity to and likelihood of ideal-self and feared-self characteristics.

Main Results:

A trend-level difference was found in ideal-self similarity between groups.
Students with hypomania (no depression history) showed greater similarity to their feared-self than controls.
This subgroup also perceived a higher future likelihood of possessing feared-self traits.

Conclusions:

The feared-self concept appears relevant for understanding self-representation in hypomania without comorbid depression.
Ideal-self discrepancy was not strongly evident, suggesting it may be a consequence of past episodes rather than a predisposition.
Further research into the feared-self in bipolar disorder is recommended.