From self-narration to a worldview : a phenomenological, narratological, and linguistic case study of a patient with a complex clinical picture of bipolar disorder

Oblak, Aleš (author), Vrbnjak, Marko (author), Holnthaner, Alina (author), Kovačič, Nika (author), Kastelic, Martin Peter (author), Marvin Derganc, Tatjana (author), Derganc, Jure (author), Vodušek, Vid V. (author), Kordeš, Urban (author), Bon, Jurij (author), Škodlar, Borut (author)

Background: Comorbidity of bipolar disorder and aspects of neurodevelopmental disorders present unique challenges and opportunities in understanding the formation and maintenance of selfhood and worldview in psychopathology. Traditional cognitive models often overlook the narrative and phenomenological dimensions of patient experience, particularly how autobiographical narration and emotionally charged worldviews mediate lived experience. Objectives: This study aims to explore (i) how worldviews are shaped by emotion and memory in psychiatric illness, and (ii) how narrative forms provide existential coherence in psychopathology. The research adopts a multidisciplinary approach integrating psychiatric, phenomenological, linguistic, narratological, and hermeneutic perspectives, through an in-depth case study. Methods: A single-case study design was employed, focusing on "Benjamin," a 60-year-old male with a lifelong history of bipolar disorder type I and suspected Asperger's syndrome. Data sources included clinical interviews, autobiographical writings (five book-length texts), and clinical observation. Analyses were conducted using phenomenological, narratological, and linguistic frameworks to trace the evolution from self-narration to worldview construction. Results: Benjamin's case illustrates a transition from immediate self-description to the development of a coherent, philosophy-like worldview. His autobiographical narratives reveal the interplay between minimal and narrative self, with mood episodes influencing both self-experience and identity coherence. Emotional memories-regardless of factual accuracy-serve as organizing phenomena, providing existential structure and meaning. The study highlights the limitations of cognitive schema theory and underscores the importance of narrative scaffolding and affect-logic in shaping worldviews. Conclusions: The study demonstrates how a multidisciplinary analysis of autobiographical narration can be useful for characterizing emotionally charged worldviews when working with individuals with complex, comorbid and chronic psychiatric disorders. Integrating phenomenological and narratological approaches yields a deeper understanding of selfhood and meaning-making in psychopathology, with implications for clinical assessment and intervention.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Jaspers, bipolar disorder, linguistics, narratology, phenomenological psychopathology
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts; PEF - Faculty of Education; MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: 15 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 16, art. 1648141
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-179505
• UDC: 616.89:615.2
• ISSN on article: 1664-0640
• DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1648141
• COBISS.SI-ID: 267763715
• Publication date in RUL: 16.02.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Frontiers in psychiatry
• Shortened title: Front. psychiatry
• Publisher: Frontiers Research Foundation
• ISSN: 1664-0640
• COBISS.SI-ID: 54153314

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: Karl Theodor Jaspers, bipolarna motnja, jezikoslovje, naratologija, fenomenološka psihopatologija

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Acronym: 31-ARIS_RSF_TM

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P5-0126
• Name: Sistemski vidiki strategij edukacije in spodbujanja socialne vključenosti v vzgoji in izobraževanju