Depression, self-esteem and emotion regulation: relationship to attachment style and self-organisation

This thesis examined how a person's self-view and the way they generally feel in romantic relationships affects their well-being and the way they manage their emotions. An interesting finding was that individuals with a dismissive relationship style, characterised by being self-reliant and downplaying relationships, were more prone to depression if they also thought about themselves in terms of segregated positive and negative self-aspects. On the other hand, having a balance of positive and negative self-beliefs within their self-aspects resulted in better well-being for dismissive people. This thesis's findings will assist in developing strategies to help people constructively manage their emotions and improve their well-being.