Comparison of the Theory of Mind in Bipolar Patients and Healthy Individuals and its Relationship with Personality Dimensions

The theory of mind in healthy people is more profound than in patients with bipolar disorder. Better understanding of the mental states of others (the Theory of Mind) affects personality traits. The aim of the current study was to compare the Theory of Mind in bipolar patients and healthy individuals and its relationship with personality dimensions.
The research method was descriptive-comparative. The statistical population of the study consisted of all male and female patients with bipolar disorder admitted at Razi Psychiatric Hospital during the period of symptoms ablation. Twenty-nine patients with bipolar disorder were selected by convenience sampling and 30 normal patients were matched with the patient group in order to form the comparison group. To collect data, the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test"," Theory of Mind Picture Stories ", "Personality Five Factory Test" and "The Scale of Psychological Distress” questionnaires were used. The validity and reliability of the instruments were examined in previous studies. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22 software.
: People with bipolar disorder had defects in two cognitive and emotional dimensions of the theory of mind. During the period of decline, their symptoms were weaker than their healthy counterparts. The results of the correlation also showed that cognitive theory had a positive correlation with agreeableness (P = 0.56) and responsibility (P = 0.39), and a negative correlation with neuroticism (P = 0.35). However, the emotional mind approach was only positively correlated with extroversion (P = 0.052).
People with bipolar disorder have defects in two cognitive and emotional dimensions of the theory of mind, and in the period of decline, symptoms are also weaker than their healthy counterparts. Therefore, rehabilitation for improving this ability in this group of patients is suggested.