Cognitive distortions and perfectionism during bipolar and unipolar depressive episode

Abstract Background The aim of the current study was to compare bipolar depression (BD) and unipolar depression (UD) patients and healthy controls in terms of their cognitive distortions and perfectionist traits during acute depressive episodes. Results The current dissertation study is a cross-sectional study consisting of 80 patients with unipolar depression, 80 patients with bipolar depression, and 80 healthy controls. Sociodemographic and Clinical Data Form, Cognitive Distortion Scale (CDS), Frost’s Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) were used as measurement tools. Healthy controls were selected on the basis that they had the same gender and age distribution as the other participants. It was found that patients with unipolar and bipolar depression had statistically equal but higher total CDS interpersonal and personal achievement scores than healthy controls, and all subtypes of the CDS labeling score were higher in the unipolar depression group than in the other groups. It was found that both depression groups had higher FMPS self-oriented and social-oriented perfectionism scores than healthy controls, lower others-oriented perfectionism scores than healthy controls, and there were no statistically significant differences between them in terms of perfectionism subtypes. Conclusions In the light of the research data, it was found that the patients with bipolar/unipolar depression had more cognitive distortion than healthy controls and cognitive distortion was not significantly different in the two groups. According to the research data, it is observed that perfectionism is higher in unipolar depression than in bipolar depression. The data obtained have the potential to provide a theoretical basis for a psychotherapeutic approach.