The Responses of Relatives and Friends toward Depressed Individuals: The Mechanism of Perceived Reassurance-Seeking and Sense of Relation Obligation
Date Issued
2004
Date
2004
Author(s)
Wang, Wei-shin
DOI
zh-TW
Abstract
The present thesis aimed to investigate the responses of relatives and friends toward depressed individuals. Specifically, we postulated that perceived reassurance-seeking (P-RS) and sense of relation obligation (SRO) of the relatives and friends would influence their own negative emotions and rejection. Coyne (1976b) proposed an interpersonal theory of depression which describes the nature of the interaction between depressed people and their significant others. In essence, the interaction between the depressed and their significant others would eventually produce an interpersonal space whereby depressed people's reassurance seeking would breed negative emotions and rejection from their significant others. The theory also asserted that others' negative emotions and rejection would in turn lead to the maintenance and/or deterioration of depressive symptoms in depressed individuals. Joiner and his colleagues further suggested that reassurance- seeking serves as a core element in the interpersonal theory of depression and completed a series of research since 1992 to verify it. Up till now, there has already existed ample of research on the interpersonal theory of depression in the Western literature, while in Taiwan there is considerably insufficient research evidence. Therefore, we designed the present study to examine several predictions elicited from the interpersonal theory of depression. In addition, we believed that emphasis on “relations” between people is unique in Taiwanese culture and expression of rejection may manifest in various forms. It is thus intriguing and important to add two culture-relevant variables, i.e., “sense of relation obligation” and “different expressions of rejection”, into account for the expanded interpersonal theory of depression. In order to investigate the expanded theory in Taiwan, the present thesis has developed the Perceived Reassurance-Seeking Scale and Multi-phasic Rejection Scale first. Participants of this study consisted of 94 relatives and friends of depressive outpatients. Brief diagnostic interview and the self-report scales were given at individual base. Results of the study indicated that: (1) P-RS and negative emotions were significantly associated with rejection; however, there was a difference in the expression of rejection between the findings in Western culture and that of Taiwanese culture; (2) SRO served as a moderator of the links between the P-RS and rejection; as well as between the P-RS and negative emotions. The findings of the study were discussed in the context of Chinese relational characteristic. Finally, clinical implications for the prevention and treatment of depression were also addressed.
Subjects
關係義務感
親友反應
人際模式
覺知尋求再保證
憂鬱
interpersonal theory
sense of relation obligation
perceived reassurance-seeking
depression
responses of others
Type
other
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