Submissive Behaviour and Depression: A Case-Control Study Done at Tertiary Care Centre in Jaipur

  • Abhilasha Yadav Professor, Department of Psychiatry, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9044-5366
  • Arvin Kamra Consultant, Psychiatrist, Brain and Behaviour Clinic.
Keywords: Depression, India, Submissive Behavior, Social Rank Theory×

Abstract

Background: The construct of submissive behaviour and its association with psychopathology especially with depression has been explored extensively in western countries but in India literature on this subject is conspicuous by its absence.

Objectives: This article explores the phenomenon of submissive behaviour and its correlation with depression.

Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at Psychiatric Centre Jaipur (SMS Medical College, Jaipur) on OPD basis from July, 1998 to December, 1999. This was a case control study, 50 matched subjects with age range 15-60 years were included in study and control group. Study Group consisted of 50 depressed patients as per ICD-10 criteria (F32 and F33), controls were selected from general population randomly and were free from any psychiatric illness. Beck depression inventory and Submissive behaviour scale were used in the study.

Statistical Analysis: Mean, Standard deviation, Student ‘t’ test, Pearson’s correlation co-efficient were used to analyse the data.

Results: Mean submissive behaviour score of study group was 27.76 and control group was 11.46, the difference between these scores in study and control group was found to be statistically significant. There was positive correlation between depression BDI scores and submissive behaviour scores at r=+0.2875.

Conclusion: This research shows that submissive behavior is an important construct in relation to depression even in Indian population. However, further research is needed to support the findings of this study in Indian depressives.

References

Ozkan IA, Ozen A. The relationship between submissive behaviours and self-esteem state among nursing

students. TAF Prev Med Bull 2008; 7(1): 53-58.

MacLean PD. The Triune Brain in Evolution. Plenum Press, New York. 1990.

Buss DM, Craik KH. Acts, dispositions and clinical assessment: The psychopathology of everyday conduct.

Clin Psychol Rev 1986; 6: 387-406.

Krebs JR, Davies NB, Parr J. An introduction to behavioural ecology (3rd ed.). Blackwell Scientific

Publications, Cambridge, MA, US. 1993.

Caryl PG. Escalated fighting and the war of nerves: Games theory and animal combat. In: Perspectives in

Ethology, Vol. 4 (Bateson PPG, Klopfer HP, eds.). Plenum Press, London. 199-224. 1981.

Archer J. The behavioural biology of aggression. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 1988.

Birtchnell J. Human evolution, behavior, and intelligence. How humans relate: A new interpersonal theory.

Publishers/Greenwood Publishing Group, Westport, CT, US. 1993.

Horowitz LM, Vitkus J. The interpersonal basis of psychiatric symptoms. Clin Psychol Rev 1986; 6(5):

-469.

Horowitz LM, Rosenberg SE, Baer BA et al. Inventory of interpersonal problems: psychometric properties

and clinical applications. J Consult Clin Psychol 1988; 56(6): 885-892.

Gilbert P. Defence and safety: their function in social behaviour and psychopathology. Br J Clin Psychol 1993;

: 131-153.

Gilbert P. Varieties of submissive behavior as forms of social defence: their evolution and role in depression.

In subordination and defeat: an evolutionary approach to mood disorders and their treatment (Ed. Sloman

L, Gilbert P), Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ. 2000. 3-45.

Seligman MEP. Helplessness: on depression development and death. Freeman and Co., San Francisco. 1975.

Peterson C, Maier SF, Seligman MEP. Learned helplessness: a theory for the age of personal control.

Oxford University Press, New York. 1993.

Price JS. Genetic and phylogenetic aspects of mood variations. Int J Ment Health 1972; 1: 124-144.

Price JS, Sloman L. Depression as yielding behaviour: an animal model based on Schjelderup-Ebb’s pecking

order. Ethol Sociobiol 1987; 8 (Suppl.): 85-98.

Price JS. Subordination, self-esteem and depression. In subordination and defeat: an evolutionary approach

to mood disorders and their therapy (Ed. Sloman L, Gilbert P). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah,

NJ. 2002. 165-177.

Gilbert P, Allan S, Brough S et al. Anhedonia and positive affect: relationship to social rank, defeat and

entrapment. J Affect Disord 2002; 71: 141-151.

Gilbert P, Allan S, Goss K. Parental representations, shame, interpersonal problems, and vulnerability to

psychopathology. Clin Psychol Psychother 1996; 3(1): 23-34.

Beck AT, Ward CH, Mendalson M et al. An inventory for measuring depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1961;

(6): 561-571.

Gilbert P, Allan S. Assertiveness, submissive behaviour and social comparison. Br J Clin Psychol 1994; 33:

-306.

Connan F, Troop N, Landau S et al. Poor social comparison and the tendency to submissive behavior

in anorexia nervosa. Int J Eat Disord 2007; 10: 1-7.

Gardner R. Mechanisms of manic-depressive disorder: An evolutionary model. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1982; 39:

-1441.23. Gilbert P. Depression: The Evolution of Powerlessness. Guilford, Hove Erlbaum/New York.

Gilbert P, Miles J. Body shame: Conceptualisation, research and treatment. Brunner Routletge, USA. 2002.

Gilbert P. Evalutionary theory and cognitive therapy. Springer Publishing Company Inc., USA 2004.

Gilbert P. Psychotherapy and counselling for depression. Sage Publications Inc., London. 2007.

Allan S, Gilbert P. Submissive behavior and psychopathology. Br J Clin Psychol 1997; 36(4): 467-488.

Sardogan ME, Yilmaz M, Bellici N. A study of relationship between submissive behaviours of university students and their psychological symptoms. International Journal of Asian Social Science 2015; 5(2): 86-96.

Cheung MSP, Gilbert P, Irons C. An exploration of shame, social rank and rumination in relation to depression. Pers Individ Dif 2004; 36(5): 1143-1153.

Brink TL. Individual psychology: Alfred Adler. In: Piotrowski NS (Ed.), Salem Health: Psychology &

Mental Health. 3: 996-1000. Salem Press, Pasadena, CA. Retrieved from: Gale Virtual Reference Library. 2010.

Published
2019-12-24
How to Cite
Yadav, A., & Kamra, A. (2019). Submissive Behaviour and Depression: A Case-Control Study Done at Tertiary Care Centre in Jaipur. Journal of Advanced Research in Psychology & Psychotherapy (E-ISSN: 2581-5822), 2(2), 17-23. Retrieved from https://medical.advancedresearchpublications.com/index.php/Psychology-Psychotherapy/article/view/153