We examined narrative identity as a possible transdiagnostic marker of psychopathology by interviewing individuals with schizophrenia, individuals with depression and a nonclinical control group about past and future chapters in their life stories. Participants were 20 patients with schizophrenia, 20 patients with depression, and 20 nonclinical control participants matched on age, gender, and education. Participants described up to 10 chapters in their past and future life stories and self-rated chapters on emotional tone and self-event connections. In addition, cognitive function and current levels of symptoms was assessed. Both patient groups self-rated their past chapters as more negative and less positive compared to the control group, but did not differ from each other. There were no group differences in positivity of future chapters, but both patient groups identified fewer future chapters with shorter temporal projections. The results are consistent with the notion that negative past aspects of narrative identity are a transdiagnostic marker of psychopathology, while also suggesting that individuals with mental illness construct a positive future, which may support hope.

我们通过采访精神分裂症患者，抑郁症患者和一个非临床对照组来探讨叙事身份作为心理病理学可能的转诊标志，他们关于他们人生故事的过去和未来章节。参加者有20位精神分裂症患者，20位抑郁症患者和20位年龄，性别和教育程度相匹配的非临床对照参与者。参与者描述了他们过去和未来的生活故事中多达10章，以及关于情绪基调和自我事件联系的自我评价章节。此外，还评估了认知功能和当前症状水平。两组患者对自己过去的章节的自我评价都比对照组高，但阳性率较低，但彼此之间没有差异。以后各章的积极性没有小组差异，但两个患者组都确定了较少的未来章节以及较短的时间预测。这一结果与以下观点相吻合：叙事身份的消极过去是精神病理学的一种转诊标志，同时也暗示患有精神疾病的人可以建立积极的未来，这可能会带来希望。