Influence of Personality Traits on the Severity of Alcohol Use Disorders.

Aida Álvarez,Diego Palao,Ángel Montejo,José Ávila

doi:10.3390/jcm7060127

Abstract

Introduction: Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) are the most prevalent psychiatric diagnosis in the general population. The study of personality characteristics, using Cloninger Personality Inventory (TCI-R), allows us to know the evolution of these patients at the beginning of treatment. Material and Method: We conducted a cross-sectional, observational and descriptive study for 3 years with a total of 304 patients. We studied the severity of their alcohol disorder by the Alcohol Dependency Intensity Scale (EIDA), Scale of Obsessive Consumption Compulsive (OCDS) and European version of the Addiction Severity Index (EUROPASI); we studied the relationship with the personality traits of TCI-R. Results and conclusions: The personality lines influence the evolution of alcohol use disorder (AUD). People with higher scores on Reward Dependency (RD), Persistence (P), Cooperation (CO) and Autotranscendence (ST) have a better prognosis while people with higher scores on Search for Novelty (SN) and Avoidance of Damage (AD) have a worst prognosis. Women present differences in consumption in relation to men, as a consequence of their personality. Women have lower scores in Persistence (P) y Self-Transcendence (ST) which are associated with the greater severity of their addiction.

Highlights

Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) are the most prevalent psychiatric diagnosis in the general population
If we focus on the variables quantified by the Cloninger Personality Inventory (TCI-R), the results are not as conclusive
The sample consisted of 304 patients affected by Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD); 250 were male (82.2%) anThde5s4amwpelreecofenmsisatleed(o1f73.80%4 )p.aTtihenetsavafefreactgeed abgyeAolcfothhoel mUseenDwisaosrd4e3r.(6AyUeDar);s2(5S0Dw9e.r7e)maanlde 43.8 (SD 9(.882).2fo%r)wanodm5e4nw. eMreofsetmpaalteie(1n7t.s8%ca)m

Summary

Introduction

Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) are the most prevalent psychiatric diagnosis in the general population. The study of personality characteristics, using Cloninger Personality Inventory (TCI-R), allows us to know the evolution of these patients at the beginning of treatment. Results and conclusions: The personality lines influence the evolution of alcohol use disorder (AUD). It is estimated that in Spain, around 7–10% of the adult population (3 million people) has problems related to alcohol consumption. This constitutes a high relevant public health problem [1,2,3]. The vast majority of studies conducted in patients with addiction problems, in order to know their personality traits, have been made through the Cloninger Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), based on his psychobiological personality model (Cloninger, 1987) [4]. There are three characteristic dimensions: self-direction (SD), cooperation (CO) and self-transcendence (ST) [1,2,3]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion