title: The revolting self: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experience of self-disgust in females with depressive symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Self-focused disgust has been implicated in depression and other mental health problems. However, "self-disgust" as a psychological concept has never been properly defined and remains particularly enigmatic. A qualitative methodology was used to obtain an informed understanding of self-disgust.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine female participants with clinically relevant depressive symptoms completed semistructured interviews about their understanding and experiences of self-disgust. These were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four superordinate themes emerged: (a) "The subjective experience of self-disgust" revealed how self-disgust was perceived as a consuming, visceral experience with trait and state components; (b) "Origins of the revolting self" covered antecedent factors and the role of others in the genesis of self-disgust; (c) "Consequences of self-disgust" included the psychological and behavioral results of a disgusting self; and (d) "Associated emotional states" described associations between self-disgust and other feeling states.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current findings suggest self-disgust is a consuming negative psychological phenomenon, associated with depression, problems with eating, physical appearance, interpersonal relationships, and self-persecution. Implications for clinical practice and future research on the topic are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Sheffield.
authors.forename: Philip A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Overton
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simpson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002605:Character; D003469:Culture; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007600:Judgment; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: depression; disgust; emotion; interpretative phenomenological analysis; qualitative; self-disgust