title: Changes of explicitly and implicitly measured self-esteem in the treatment of major depression: evidence for implicit self-esteem compensation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Self-esteem has been claimed to be an important factor in the development and maintenance of depression. Whereas explicit self-esteem is usually reduced in depressed individuals, studies on implicitly measured self-esteem in depression exhibit a more heterogeneous pattern of results, and the role of implicit self-esteem in depression is still ambiguous. Previous research on implicit self-esteem compensation (ISEC) revealed that implicit self-esteem can mirror processes of self-esteem compensation under conditions that threaten self-esteem. We assume that depressed individuals experience a permanent threat to their selves resulting in enduring processes of ISEC. We hypothesize that ISEC as measured by implicit self-esteem will decrease when individuals recover from depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  45 patients with major depression received an integrative in-patient treatment in the Psychosomatic University Hospital Bonn, Germany. Depression was measured by the depression score of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D). Self-esteem was assessed explicitly using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and implicitly by the Implicit Association Test (IAT) and the Name Letter Test (NLT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  As expected for a successful treatment of depression, depression scores declined during the eight weeks of treatment and explicit self-esteem rose. In line with our hypothesis, both measures of implicit self-esteem decreased, indicating reduced processes of ISEC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It still remains unclear, under which conditions there is an overlap of measures of implicit and explicit self-esteem.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results lend support to the concept of ISEC and demonstrate the relevance of implicit self-esteem and self-esteem compensation for the understanding of depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatics, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. Electronic address: i.wegener@gmx.de.
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wegener
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatics, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Franziska
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Geiser
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatics, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Susanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alfter
authors.affiliation: (r)evolution GmbH, Heussallee 12, 53113 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mierke
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatics, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imbierowicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatics, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kleiman
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatics, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne Sarah
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychosomatics, University Hospital Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Rupert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Conrad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D064889:Psychotherapy, Psychodynamic; D012649:Self Concept; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents