The role of emotions in different psychopathologies: the examination of disgust, anger, guilt and anxiety


Haciomeroglu A. B., KESER E., İNÖZÜ MERMERKAYA M.

ANADOLU PSIKIYATRI DERGISI-ANATOLIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY, cilt.19, sa.1, ss.13-20, 2018 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

Özet

Objective: Most of the psychiatric disorders are characterized by severe emotions and difficulties in emotion regulation process. However, to date, commonalities and differences of emotions in psychiatric disorders have not been sufficiently investigated. In this context, the aim of the study is to examine whether the emotions of trait guilt, trait anxiety, trait disgust and state-trait anger differentiated in the major depressive disorder (MDD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety disorders (AD) and healthy control groups. Methods: The clinic samples of this study included the patients who applied to Ankara Gulhane Education and Research Hospital (GATA) Psychiatry Clinic or who received treatment at this unit and fulfilled the participation criteria. The study composed of MDD (n=67) OCD (n=53), AD (n=73) and healthy control (n=110) groups. The clinical groups were evaluated by using SCID-I. The control group were reached through convenient sample method from administrative staff of the Gazi University. The participants filled out the Demographic Information Form, Guilt Inventory-Trait Form, State Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait Form, and Disgust Scale-Revised Form and State-Trait Anger Inventory. Results: Four groups were compared in terms of four emotions by using ANOVA and MANOVA. Results showed that trait disgust scores were significantly higher in OCD group compared to all other groups. Although the MDB, OCD and AD groups were not differentiated in terms of trait anxiety, trait guilt and state-trait anger scores, all three clinical groups scored significantly higher than healthy control group. Discussion: The results supported the specificity of trait disgust to OCD. Moreover, results showed that trait anxiety, trait guilt and state-trait anger have transdiagnostic properties and the intensity of the three emotions were higher in clinical groups compared the healthy control group.