A study of the relationships among approach motivations, dysfunctional attitudes, emotional abilities, and symptoms of mood disorder

• Main Authors: Kuo-Jui Li, 李國睿
• Other Authors: Bi-Ling Shieh
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/74362491238965237176

碩士 === 高雄醫學大學 === 心理學研究所 === 96 === People with mood disorders have increased every year in Taiwan. Although the medications have been effective in treating these disorders to certain degree, psychological treatments can supplement drug treatment. The fact that combining psychotherapy and medications can improve the prognosis of mood disorders indicates that it is important to investigate the psychopathology of mood disorders. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore different psychopathological factors of mood disorders in an integrated model, including approach motivational system, dysfunctional attitudes, emotional skills, and symptoms. Based on the findings, we expect to further the understanding of the processes leading to mood disorders and the development of effective interventions. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design, and compared mood disorders groups (66 patients) and community control group (48 persons) on approach motivations, emotional skills, and symptoms. With diagnosis grouping, the results were similar, and thus, the results of comparing symptom groups with community group were reported in the following. Both the depressive group and the manic group showed significant higher negative approach motivation, dependence dysfunctional attitude, maladaptive regulation, and depressive symptoms than the community group. In addition, the depressive group showed (1) significant higher awareness of negative emotion, decreasing negative emotion regulation, and negative affects, and significant lower positive approach motivation, goal-attainment dysfunctional attitude, developing new viewpoint regulation, and manic symptoms than community group, and (2) significant higher awareness of negative emotions, and depressive symptoms than manic group. Also, furthermore, the manic group showed significant higher manic symptoms than community group, and significant higher goal-attainment dysfunctional attitude, developing new viewpoint regulation, positive affects, and manic symptoms than depressive group. Structural Equation Modeling of the interrelations of approach motivations, emotional skills, and symptoms indicated that (1) the process leading to depressive episode involving the hypofunctioning positive approach motivation, dependence dysfunctional attitude, awareness of negative emotions, maladaptive regulation, and lack of social support regulation, and (2) the process leading to manic episode involving the hyperfunctioning positive approach motivation, goal-attainment dysfunctional attitude, aware of positive emotions, less aware of negative emotions, and increasing positive emotion regulation. Furthermore, emotion awareness was affected by approach motivations and dysfunctional attitudes, and emotion regulation was affected more by approach motivations and less by emotion awareness. In conclusion, patients with mood disorders were affected by the specific psychopathological factors, including approach motivations, dysfunctions attitudes, and emotional skills. According to the findings, we would suggest that it is helpful to the patient with mood disorders to monitor their approach motivational system and dysfunctional beliefs, and improve their emotional skills.