An investigation of role-taking in histrionic personality disorder

Smith, Deborah Lynne (1982) An investigation of role-taking in histrionic personality disorder. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[img] [English] PDF (Migrated (PDF/A Conversion) from original format: (application/pdf)) - Accepted Version
Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission.

Download (21MB)
  • [img] [English] PDF - Accepted Version
    Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission.
    (Original Version)

Abstract

This research focuses its attention on role-taking ability, how a person interprets another’s impression of her. Gough proposed a theory of psychopathy in which he found that psychopaths are deficient in this ability. Genetic studies have linked psychopaths with hysterical personality disorder. Therefore, it was decided to investigate role-taking ability in hysterical personality disorders. Females, only, were considered for the study, since this is a diagnosis used primarily in females. A control group of treated depressives was used. All subjects were in-patients on two psychiatric units of general hospitals. -- Subjects were given a test battery: 1. Socialization Scale. 2. Meta-Impression Test (Bilsbury, 1978). These were tests to measure role-taking. 3. Beck Depression Inventory. This was used to detect the presence of depression in the groups. -- Results showed that females with hysterical personality disorder are deficient in role-taking ability while the control group demonstrated normal role-taking ability. The difference was significant at the p=0.0001 level for the Socialization Scale. The Meta-Impression Test did not yield significant results and recommendations have been made for its improvement. -- The significant results have important implications for diagnosis and treatment of hysterical personality disordered patients and the Socialization Scale has potential value for detection of hysterical traits in depressed women.

Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
URI: http://research.library.mun.ca/id/eprint/7599
Item ID: 7599
Additional Information: Bibliography: leaves 51-55
Department(s): Medicine, Faculty of
Date: 1982
Date Type: Submission
Library of Congress Subject Heading: Hysteria; Role playing
Medical Subject Heading: Role; Histrionic Personality Disorder

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over the past year

View more statistics