Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Ernst Kretschmer's description of the sensitive delusion of reference remains a significant contribution to contemporary discussions, though it is often overlooked in psychopathology. This phenomenon is characterized by a sensitive characterological basis, where the structural imbalance between sthenic and asthenic aspects, with a predominance of the latter, makes individuals susceptible to external judgments and creates a propensity to retain experiences. When faced with vexing events, this sensitive personality exhibits self-referential delusions. In his work, Kretschmer provides valuable insights that broaden our genetic understanding of psychotic conditions, initiate a multidimensional and dynamic approach to mental disorders, and challenge rigid categorical diagnoses. Kretschmer advocates for a methodology that acknowledges the fluidity between personality traits and clinical presentations, indicating a continuum between health and illness. In today’s mental health panorama, where personalized diagnostic models are gaining momentum, revisiting Kretschmer's ideas through the phenomenological psychopathology perspective can enhance our understanding of personal vulnerabilities linked to specific personality developments, subthreshold psychopathological experiences, early detection of mental disorders, and the improved creation of individualized treatment approaches. This article explores the enduring significance of the Sensitive Delusion of Reference, highlighting its implications for the developmental paradigm in psychopathology.
Author: Livia Fukuda
Language: English
Topic: Mental Health and Psychiatry
Subfield: Philosophy
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4417276392