Complex partial epileptic-like signs contribute differential sources of variance to low self-esteem and imaginings.

64 university men and 55 university women displayed correlations (r = 0.40) between two psychometric inventories that have been employed to study subclinical complex partial epileptic-like signs in normal and traumatically brain-injured people. Although psychometric inferences of self-esteem and reports of childhood memories and imaginings were not significantly associated, both indicators of complex partial epileptic-like signs showed significantly positive associations with fantasy-prone behavior but significantly negative correlations with self-esteem. Subsequent analyses supported the vectorial hemisphericity model that elevated mesiobasal limbic activity may enhance imaginings while frequent intrusions into awareness of right-hemispheric indicators would be also associated with lower self-esteem. Lower self-esteem was correlated significantly with reported fears and phobias for the women but not for the men.