Skip to main content

Self-discrepancy theory as a transdiagnostic framework: A meta-analysis of self-discrepancy and psychopathology.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Mason, TB; Smith, KE; Engwall, A; Lass, A; Mead, M; Sorby, M; Bjorlie, K; Strauman, TJ; Wonderlich, S
Published in: Psychological bulletin
April 2019

Self-discrepancy theory (SDT) is a model of the relations between the self and affect which has been applied to the study of different types of psychopathology including depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Although the theory itself is compatible with a transdiagnostic perspective on psychopathology, to date no systematic review of the literature has examined that possibility. We conducted a meta-analysis that synthesized the literature on self-discrepancy and psychopathology across a heterogeneous range of 70 studies. Results showed a small-to-medium association between self-discrepancy and psychopathology that was highly robust and similar in magnitude across domains. Furthermore, self-discrepancy was related to higher levels of a range of negative emotions and lower levels of a range of positive emotions. Meta-regression models showed that the effects were greater for actual:ideal discrepancy compared with actual:ought discrepancy for both depression and anxiety, which was contrary to the tenets of SDT which suggests specific associations between actual:ideal discrepancy and depression and actual:ought discrepancy and anxiety. Measurement type (i.e., idiographic vs. nomothetic) was a significant predictor of the effects for depression and anxiety, such that nomothetic measures evidenced greater associations compared with idiographic measures. Our findings could suggest that self-discrepancy represents a contributory factor related to a number of psychiatric disorders. However, the tenet of SDT suggesting unique associations between actual:ideal and actual:ought discrepancy and anxiety and depression respectively was not supported. Implications are discussed for future research on self-discrepancy and psychopathology including the study of mechanistic frameworks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Duke Scholars

Altmetric Attention Stats
Dimensions Citation Stats

Published In

Psychological bulletin

DOI

EISSN

1939-1455

ISSN

0033-2909

Publication Date

April 2019

Volume

145

Issue

4

Start / End Page

372 / 389

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • Self Concept
  • Psychoanalytic Theory
  • Mental Disorders
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Ego
  • Affect
  • 52 Psychology
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Mason, T. B., Smith, K. E., Engwall, A., Lass, A., Mead, M., Sorby, M., … Wonderlich, S. (2019). Self-discrepancy theory as a transdiagnostic framework: A meta-analysis of self-discrepancy and psychopathology. Psychological Bulletin, 145(4), 372–389. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000186
Mason, Tyler B., Kathryn E. Smith, Allison Engwall, Alisson Lass, Michael Mead, Morgan Sorby, Kayla Bjorlie, Timothy J. Strauman, and Stephen Wonderlich. “Self-discrepancy theory as a transdiagnostic framework: A meta-analysis of self-discrepancy and psychopathology.Psychological Bulletin 145, no. 4 (April 2019): 372–89. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000186.
Mason TB, Smith KE, Engwall A, Lass A, Mead M, Sorby M, et al. Self-discrepancy theory as a transdiagnostic framework: A meta-analysis of self-discrepancy and psychopathology. Psychological bulletin. 2019 Apr;145(4):372–89.
Mason, Tyler B., et al. “Self-discrepancy theory as a transdiagnostic framework: A meta-analysis of self-discrepancy and psychopathology.Psychological Bulletin, vol. 145, no. 4, Apr. 2019, pp. 372–89. Epmc, doi:10.1037/bul0000186.
Mason TB, Smith KE, Engwall A, Lass A, Mead M, Sorby M, Bjorlie K, Strauman TJ, Wonderlich S. Self-discrepancy theory as a transdiagnostic framework: A meta-analysis of self-discrepancy and psychopathology. Psychological bulletin. 2019 Apr;145(4):372–389.

Published In

Psychological bulletin

DOI

EISSN

1939-1455

ISSN

0033-2909

Publication Date

April 2019

Volume

145

Issue

4

Start / End Page

372 / 389

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • Self Concept
  • Psychoanalytic Theory
  • Mental Disorders
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Ego
  • Affect
  • 52 Psychology