Self-disgust in mental disorders -- symptom-related or disorder-specific?
BACKGROUND
Dysfunctional disgust experiences occur in a variety of mental disorders. Previous research focused on disgust proneness directed towards stimuli in the external environment. However, self-disgust, the devaluation of one' own physical appearance and personality (personal disgust) as well as one' own behavior (behavioral disgust) has hardly been investigated thus far, although it may play a crucial role in specific psychopathologies.


METHODS
We investigated 112 patients diagnosed with different mental disorders (major depression, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder (BPD), eating disorders, and spider phobia) and 112 matched mentally healthy individuals. Participants answered the Questionnaire for the Assessment of Self-Disgust (QASD) with two subscales 'personal disgust' and 'behavioral disgust', and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) that provides an overview of patients' psychological problems and their intensity.


RESULTS
Compared to healthy controls self-disgust was elevated in mental disorders. Personal disgust was more pronounced than behavioral disgust in patients, whereas there was no difference in controls. Patients with BPD and eating disorders reported the highest scores on both subscales. Findings also suggest that self-disgust is related to specific psychological problems. In mental disorders psychoticism and hostility were the best predictors for personal disgust, while anxiety and interpersonal sensitivity predicted behavioral disgust. Additionally, we found disorder-specific predictors for personal disgust (e.g., hostility in schizophrenia). Finally, traumatic events during childhood constitute a risk factor for self-disgust.


CONCLUSIONS
The current study provides first evidence for the differential meaning of self-disgust for specific mental disorders and symptoms.
Institute of Psychology, Karl-Franzens-University of Graz, Austria; University Hospital of Psychiatry, Medical University of Graz, Austria. Electronic address: rottraut.ille@uni-graz.at.
Rottraut
R
Ille
University Hospital of Psychiatry, Medical University of Graz, Austria.
Helmut
H
Schöggl
University Hospital of Psychiatry, Medical University of Graz, Austria.
Hans-Peter
HP
Kapfhammer
Institute of Psychology, Karl-Franzens-University of Graz, Austria.
Martin
M
Arendasy
Institute of Psychology, Karl-Franzens-University of Graz, Austria.
Markus
M
Sommer
Institute of Psychology, Karl-Franzens-University of Graz, Austria.
Anne
A
Schienle
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011385:Projection; D011599:Psychopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D055815:Young Adult