THE PSYCHOLOGICAL-ASSESSMENT OF DEPRESSION - UNIPOLARS VERSUS BIPOLARS

Psychological test differences between unipolar (UD) and bipolar (ED) depressed inpatients were examined using the Minnesota Multiphasic Per sonality Inventory (MMPI, Hathaway and McKinley, 1943; MMPI-2, Butcher , Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989), Millon Clinical Multi axial Inventory (MCMI, Millon, 1983; MCMI-II, Milon, 1987), and Sympto m Checklist-90 (SCL-90-R, Derogatis, 1983). One hundred fifty-eight UD patients and 26 ED patients took these self-report tests at the begin ning of their hospitalization. Results indicate that there were few co nsistent findings across the three tests (or versions of tests). Contr ary to some previous studies, the ED patients did not exhibit a ''soci al desirability'' response set, nor did they produce ''normal'' test p rofiles. Although the tests were not able to identify depressed patien ts with past manic episodes, ED patients were more narcissistic, drive n, and willing to engage in antisocial practices than were UD patients . These findings are discussed in terms of the clinical similarities b etween UD and ED patients during a depressive episode as well as the l imitations of cross-sectional self-report measures to evaluate histori cal information regarding course of illness.