The Ideal and the Feared Self as Predictors of Psychological Symptoms among Geriatric Care Nurses

Abstract

Following the 1987 work of Higgins and of Ogilvie, we investigated whether discrepancies between one's actual self and ideal self predict psychological symptoms better than discrepancies between the actual and feared self. We also examined Ogilvie's 1987 finding that the feared self is a more concrete cognitive representation than is the ideal self. 51 geriatric nurses completed the SCL-90–R and a questionnaire designed to measure actual self, ideal self, and feared self. Discrepancies between scores for actual and ideal self predicted severity of reported depressive and global symptoms and discrepancies between the actual and feared self were correlated negatively only with scores on Hostility. Further, clinical judges rated the nurses' memories representing their feared self as more concrete than memories depicting their ideal self. Results are discussed in terms of self-discrepancy theory and how the ideal and feared selves might be studied further.