The performance of depressed and manic patients on some repertory grid measures: a cross-sectional study

Six groups were tested: 20 depressed, 10 manic, 10 schizophrenic, 10 alcoholic and 10 physically ill patients, and 10 recovered depressed patients. They were administered repertory grids whose 10 elements were role titles and which employed 12 elicited constructs and one provided construct. After principal component analysis of each grid, measures were derived of 'cognitive simplicity' (Chetwynd, 1977), 'monolithic' and 'articulated' structure (Makhlouf-Norris et al., 1970), 'integration of self and others', and 'self-esteem'. Although neither the depressed nor the manic group differed from all the other groups on any measure, there was a tendency for the depressed patients to be characterized by grids which showed relative 'cognitive simplicity', and 'monolithic' but 'unarticulated' structure, a large perceived distance between self and others, and low 'self-esteem' and for the manic patients to have relatively 'complex' (or confused) grids, with 'unarticulated' structure, a small 'self-other' distance and high 'self-esteem'.