The Comparison of Coping resources, Personality styles, Thought and Affective Patterns among Patients with Bipolar Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia

Rorschach psycho-diagnostic test has been well recognized projective test across the globe since long time. Understanding nature of coping resources and underlying personality styles of the severely affected psychiatric patients do not only predict the progress of the disorders but also warrants professionals of their area for management. The aim of the study is to compare coping resources, personality styles and psychopathology between patients with BPAD and schizophrenia by using the Comprehensive System and objective tests in Indian culture. Inpatients hospital based, cross sectional, between group design is used in the research where purposively 15 patients in each group (N=30) are selected following specific inclusion and exclusion criteria at HMH, Ahmedabad. Each patient was assessed with socio-demographic data sheet, clinical ratings, Rorschach test, Coping Check-List by Kiran Rao and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (Indian adaptation). The obtained results revealed that patients with bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) have shown significantly more extraversion personality trait and social conformity than patients with schizophrenia. On coping dimensions, BPAD group reveals more usage of positive coping styles in challenging situations whereas, schizophrenia who showed significantly higher on denial and blaming coping which is negative coping style. On Rorschach, BPAD group shows more affective dysregulation and disturbances by giving more number of pure colour, WSumC responses and higher affective ratio Whereas, schizophrenic patients revealed higher on isolation index of Rorschach. Patients with schizophrenia revealed more psychopathology in terms of higher number of special scores.