Differences in Ego Functions between Those with Tendency to Atypical Depression and Those with Tendency to Melancholic Depression

Abstract

This study aimed to clarify ego functions of the university students having a tendency to atypical depression by comparing those with other students having a tendency to melancholic depression and borderline personality disorder. The answers to the questionnaires were obtained from 278 university students. The results showed that no difference was found in the total scores of ego functions and the scores of the sub-scales such as "synthetic-integrative functioning," "sense of reality," "control of impulses," "objective relation," "stimulus barrier," and "autonomous functioning" between the students having a tendency to atypical depression and those having a tendency to melancholic depression; while the scores of the "defensive functioning," one of the ego functions, were significantly higher in the students having a tendency to atypical depression than in those having a tendency to melancholic depression. This suggested that the students having a tendency to atypical depression may have a higher function of protecting their ego from conflicts than those having a tendency to melancholic depression.

Healing Mankind with Innocent Id, Strong Ego, and Compassionate Superego

“…It makes choices in a way that does not create anxiety for the individual and makes realistic decisions (Lapsley & Stey, 2011). Psychiatric disorders are common in individuals with weak ego (Gfellner & Cordoba, 2017;Hayashi et al, 2017). According to Freud, we can cope with the difficulties that cause pain and anxiety by using ego defence mechanisms.…”