Self-stigma, hope, dissociation, and personality features in treatment of depressive inpatients resistant to pharmacotherapy

Objective The goal of this study was to examine the influence of dissociation, hope, personality trait and selected demographic factors in treatment response of this group of patients. Methods Pharmacoresistant depressive inpatients completed clinical global impression – both objective and subjective form, Beck depression inventory, and Beck anxiety inventory at baseline and after six weeks of combined pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy (group cognitive behavioral or group psychodynamic). The Internalized Stigma Of Mental Illness Scale, Dissociative Experience Scale Adult Dispositional Hope Scale, and temperament and character inventory were completed at the start of the treatment with the intention to find predictors of treatment efficacy. Results The study included 72 patients hospitalized for the pharmacoresistant major depression, 63 of them finished the study. The mean scores of BDI-II, BAI, subjCGI, and objCGI significantly decreased during the treatment. BDI-II relative change statistically significantly correlated with the total ISMI score, discrimination experience (ISMI subscale), and harm avoidance (TCI-R personality trait). According to stepwise regression, the strongest factors connected to BDI-II relative change were the duration of the disorder and discrimination experience (ISMI). ObjCGI relative change significantly correlated with the level of dissociation, the total ISMI score, and hope in ADHS total score, and self-directedness. According to stepwise regression, the strongest factor connected to objCGI relative change was discrimination experience (ISMI). Conclusions According to our results, the patients with pharmacoresistant depressive disorders, who have had more experience with discrimination because of their mental struggles, showed a poorer response to treatment.