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