Partner relationships of depressives.

A study of the partnerships of 15 endogenous bipolar, 15 endogenous unipolar, 15 neurotic and 16 unclassified depressives, and of 36 control persons showed that there were some common factors and some differences due to sex among the depressives as a total group. The greater differences were to be found, however, among the depressive subgroups. Bipolars: particularly great desire for closeness and for love and attention, low self-esteem where the partner is concerned, the strongest aggression inhibition. Unipolars: arrogance, indirect aggression and emotional distance to the partner. Neurotic depressives: many conflicts, directly and indirectly aggressive, dissatisfied and demanding. Unclassified depressives: extreme fluctuations between clinging and arrogance and withdrawal.