Content analysis of Rorschach in patients with bipolar affective disorder

Abstract

The present study investigated the contents of Rorschach protocol in bipolar patients with were analyzed with the use of the “Self-Representation Sieve”. The purpose was to analyze the quality of self-representation and the several types of the object-relationships in the studied group. The sample was the eleven patients attended by the Psychiatry Service at the Hospital das Clínicas in the Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto - USP. The patients had bipolar affective disorder diagnostic. The characteristics the sample were: three men and eigth women, with Medium and Inferior Medium intelectual level, with age groups ranging between twenty-two and sixty-seven years . The Rorschach contents were analyzed considering their integrity and vitality dimensions, realistic character, types of action, sexual differentiation, and the qualitative elements casually introduced in the answers. The contents multidimensional analysis showed, in the investigated group, signs of damaged self-representation, fragility in the personal identity structure and the relational modalities less satisfactories. A marking agressiveness in the interpersonal relations was observed.