Self-Relatedness and Interpersonal Problems in a Large Psychiatric Outpatient Sample

Abstract

Interpersonal- and self-relatedness problems are strongly correlated on a global level. However, few studies have examined associations between distinct forms of interpersonal problems and specific types of problems in self-relatedness. We hypothesized that patients with domineering interpersonal problems would exhibit a more positive self-image than patients with submissive interpersonal features. We also wanted to examine if the self-hostile and self-accepting aspects of patients’ self-relatedness were differentially associated with their interpersonal problems. A large clinical outpatient sample (N = 958) was divided into eight subgroups (Octant Groups) of patients with different predominant interpersonal problems, as measured with the 64 item version of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems—IIP-64. Self-relatedness was measured with the Introject surface of the Structural Analysis of Social Behavior—SASB Introject. ANCOVA analyses showed that patients with more positive and self-accepting self-images displayed domineering, but also warmer forms of interpersonal problems than peers with more negative self-images. Dividing the self-relatedness variable into Self-Hostile and Self-Accepting components yielded a new finding: patients within different interpersonal Octant Groups differed significantly with regard to Self- Acceptance, but not with respect to Self-Hostility. The former component may be reflective of a more stable personality feature than Self-Hostility, thereby rendering it less susceptible to change.