Comparison of cognitive distortion levels among patients with depression and anxiety disorders

The aim of this study was to compare the levels of cognitive distortions between groups of clinical patients with depression and anxiety disorder. The study was conducted in Adıyaman University Training and Research Hospital. The sample of the study consisted of 30 clinical patients with depression, 30 clinical patients with anxiety disorder and 30 healthy people. Sociodemographic information of the participants was evaluated and Structured Clinical Interview Inventory (SCID-I) for DSM-IV Axis-I Disorders, SCID-I Short Form and Cognitive Distortions Scale (CDS) were administered. According to the study results; clinical patients with anxiety scored significantly higher compared to healthy controls. In terms of Catastrophizing, Emotional Reasoning, Should Statements and All-or-Nothing Thinking subscales clinical patients with depression scored significantly higher compared to healthy controls. Furthermore, in terms of Mindreading, Catastrophizing, and Emotional Reasoning, clinical patients with anxiety disorder scored significantly higher compared to healthy controls. However, when patients with depression were compared with patients with anxiety there was no statistically significant difference in terms of the level and types of the cognitive distortions.