Depression, Neuroticism, and the Discrepancy Between Actual and Ideal Self-Perception

• Higher neuroticism is associated with pervasive negative viewpoints.
• Higher neuroticism is associated with more stringent and demanding ideals.
• Higher neuroticism is associated with higher discrepancy scores on many scales.
• Clinically depressed subjects provided significantly more negative evaluations.
• SDQ dimensions may have implications for broader areas of mental health.

Relationships between personality dimensions, depression, and self-perception were investigated in a sample of 95 subjects. Higher levels of neuroticism were significantly related to more negative self-perceptions, more stringent self-expectations, and greater discrepancy between actual and ideal self-perception across multiple domains of behaviour and feelings. Clinically depressed subjects also had more negative perceptions of Emotional Well-Being. No significant differences were found between depressed and normal controls concerning self-evaluation standards