PARANOIA DESERVEDNESS IN PATIENTS WITH PERSECUTORY DELUSIONS: COMPARISON OF THE TWO GROUPS ON ANGER, SELF ESTEEM AND DEPRESSION

  • DR. SAIMA MAJEED Punjab Institute of Mental Health, Lahore
  • DR. HUMAIRA MOHSIN Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore
  • DR. ALTAF QADIR KHAN Postgraduate Medical Institute, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore
Keywords: “poor me” and “bad me” Paranoia, Anger, Depression, Self Esteem

Abstract

Objective: The current study investigated the prevalence of ‘poor me’ and ‘bad me’ paranoia inpatients with persecutory delusions by using Trower and Chadwick’s(1995)theory as a frame work. It also studied the difference of these two groups regarding anger, depression and self esteem.

Design: Cross sectional research design.

Place and Duration of Study: Psychiatric departments of five hospitals of Lahore city. Study completed within eight months.

Subject and Method: A non-probability purposive sample of 100 patients with paranoid delusions was drawn from five hospitals of Lahore. Demographic Questionnaire, The Persecution and Deservedness Scale, State Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2, Beck Depression Inventory and Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale were administered. In order to rule out organicity Mini Mental State Examination was conducted.

Results: Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17 was used for all the analysis. Descriptive statistical analysis revealed that 73 out of 100 patients come under the category of ‘poor me’ and 27 in ‘bad me’ paranoia category. T test results showed that ‘poor me’ and’ bad me’ paranoid patients were significantly different as far as self esteem and depression was concerned while both groups got higher scores on anger scale. Cronbach Alpha was find out for all Urdu translated scales and results shown acceptable internal consistency.

Conclusion: The entire stated hypotheses were accepted. Poor me paranoia was more prevalent among patients of paranoid delusions as compared to bad me paranoia. Both groups scored higher on anger. While different on self esteem and depression.

Published
2013-06-01