Eye Movement Characteristics Of Moderate Depression Patients During The Rorschach Inkblot Test

Depression usually with a strong covert is a persistent low mood state. Depression asa common mood disorder has caused great harm to the life and work of the patient, andbrought heavy burden for the patient’s family and social burden. There are about11.4percent of adults averagely suffering from depression in the world yearly. The lifetimeprevalence ofdepression is as high as5.2%-16.3%.In this harsh backdrop, this studyintended to integrate eye movement technology and Rorschach inkblot test, to understandthe eye movement characteristics of depression patients and explore more evidence fordiagnosis of depression.There were15patients in the depression group who were diagnosed with moderatedepression by hospital. There are15peoplein the control group whose scores below40during the SDS and whose age, gender, occupation and education level are matched withthe other group. Using The SMI iView X RED telemetry eye tracker, the eye movementcharacteristics of depression patients and normal persons were compared and analyzed inthe freedom reaction stage of Rorschach inkblot test.The results showed:(1) Eye movement indexes exist differences between depressionpatients and normal persons in ten Pictures of Rorschach inkblot test during the freedomreaction stage of Rorschach inkblot test. There are significant differences about the fixationcount, fixation duration total, saccade count, saccade amplitude average on the first, thesecond and the sixth pictures. So these three pictures could differentiate best between thesetwo groups.(2) Whether it’s shown color pictures or black and white picture, the fixationcount, fixation duration total and saccade count of depression patients were less than thoseof normal group, but the saccade amplitude average of depression group was more thanthose of normal group in the freedom reaction stage of Rorschach inkblot test.(3) Both theoverall response and partial response, the fixation count, fixation duration total and saccadecount of depression patients were less than those of normal group, but the saccadeamplitude average of depression subjects were more than those of normal subjects.(4)Both the animal response and non-animals response，the fixation count, fixation durationtotal and saccade count of depression patients were less than those of normal group, but thesaccade amplitude average of depression group was more than those of normal group too.(5) The Net Dwell Time of depression patients was less than that of normal subjects, butthere was no significant difference about the First Fixation Duration between them in fourdifferent areas of Interest.