On the dynamics of the manic-depressive personality.

Abstract

We have suggested that two sets of factors are important in the development of the manic-depressive personality: 1. The state of ego development when major anxiety-provoking experiences occur; 2. The dynamics of interpersonal relationships between the family members. How much confidence can we place in the findings which led to these hypotheses? In the first place, it should be emphasized that we worked only with patients who actually had a manic-depressive illness, and our descriptions of the "manic-depressive personality" apply to this group at times when they were free from psychosis. For the most part we worked on the depressive phase of the psychosis, and gave only secondary attention to the manic attack. We do not present any data on the much broader group of cyclothymic personalities. Is it legitimate to emphasize the social and psychodynamic factors in the development and maintenance of these disorders over and above the biological and hereditary? We do not deny, of course, that the behavioral man...