E-ISSN : 2733-4538
The purpose of the present study was to investigate the correlation between self-consciousness and psychological distress in clinical samples. Sixty-eight outpatients with neurotic symptoms completed Self-consciousness Scale and MMPI. The Private self-consciousness subscale showed no significant correlations with MMPI subscales except Hy, which correlated positively. On the other hand, Public self-consciousness subscale showed strong negative correlations with L, K, and positive correlation with F, D, Pa, Sc, Si. This result suggested that those who were high in public self-consciousness experienced more psychological distress, such as depression and alienation, and complained their distress to others more. The present study also replicated previous findings of the two-factor structure of private self-consciousness. In this study, the first factor was interpreted to represent general reflectiveness of self, and had negative correlation tendency with MMPI clinical subscale. The second factor was interpreted as the awareness of self-image and had minor correlation with Hs, Hy. But this factor was different from previous findings in the content. On the basis of these findings, clinical implications and cultural differences of self-consciousness were discussed.