Narrative assessment: Differences between anxious and depressed patients

Studies on clients’ language processes in psychotherapy have focused on specific non-narrative aspects rather than on narrative processes. This study’s goal was to test the commonalities and differences between a group of narratives from 15 depressed patients and 14 anxious patients. Patients’ narratives were obtained through self-characterizations written by the client and, were analyzed by means of the Narrative Assessment Grid — a combination of narrative analysis dimensions. Results indicated that both groups could be distinguished by six of the 22 dimensions assessed: (a) Variety of characters, (b) Objectifying, (c) Intelligibility/Clarity, (d) Cognitive Subjectifying, (e) Metaphorizing; and (f) Intelligibility/Stability. Clinical implications of our results are discussed.