A Comparative Study of Guilt and Hostility in Depressive Subjects*

Literature is replete with the never ending controversy about the role of guilt and hostility in depressive subjects. Feelings of guilt in depressive subjects have been found to be associated with shame as well as unworthiness over past sin and failures, (Redlich and Freedman, 1966). A subject matter of great concern has been the low incidence of guilt in non-occidental cultures. A large number of African studies too, have reported a paucity of guilt feelings in their a finding which could perhaps have been a result of diverse diagnostic practices. Very few Indian studies to date are available on this issue. Sethi et al. (1980) have provided a comprehensive review of the same. In their own study, the intensity of depression (mild or moderate) was not significantly correlated to the guilt or hostility scores. However, the sex variable showed significant differences i. e. while female depressives had more guilt than males, depressive males demonstrated more hostility than females. Various figures have been provided for frequency of guilt feelings in depressive patients i. guilt is of impersonal nature and generally handled by the mechanism of projection. are of the view that non Western depressives show no guilt feelings, self accusation or ideas of unworthiness. Religion too has been found to be associated with guilt (Murphy, 1964) and while intensity of belief among Christians was found positively correlated to guilt. Hindus, Muslims and other religious groups did not show any such association. The reversion of hostile feelings towards self rather than external objects has formed a basic psychodynamic theme of depression (Abraham, 1911, Freud, 1916). By using such a defence, depressives are able to preserve their original love object. Buss (1961) and Weissman et.al. (1960) however subscribe to the view that depre-ssives readily express their resentment. Freidman (1970) found lesser expression of 'hostile feelings' in depressed patients than in normal subjects ; expression of hostile feelings was found to be associated with recovery by him as well as by others (Klerman and Gershon. 1970). Feelings of guilt and hostility in neuroses develop as an aftermath of behaviour which arouses them. Guilt as well as hostile feelings play an important role in the psycho-genesis of anxiety states and obsessive compulsive disorder. Neurotic depressives,