Affective Temperament Profiles Research Articles

The affective temperaments as a prognostic factor in the course of alcohol addiction – a key to enhance diagnoses and therapy?

The paper outlines the role of affective temperaments, as defined by Akiskal, in the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorders with a particular focus on the clinical course of addiction. Among affective temperaments, a cyclothymic temperament seems to play a key role in the development and maintenance of alcohol use disorders, and have the greatest influence on the clinical course of addiction. A high cyclothymic score is associated with inter alia an earlier onset of drinking and alcohol dependence, a negative course of alcohol dependence, relapse and alcohol craving. The structure of affective temperaments is also a predictor of suicidal behavior and drug addiction in the alcohol addict population. Interest has been growing regarding the role of affective temperament in the development and course of alcohol dependence; however, further research in this area is needed. An understanding of the temperamental determinants of alcohol dependence in the affective dimension may significantly support diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Affective temperament profile may be suggestive of alcohol use disorders and may be a primary prognostic factor of craving and relapse, potential suicide, treatment motivation and the co-occurrence of drug dependence among patients with alcohol use disorder.

Distinguishing Affective Temperament Profiles in Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder Through the Short Version of TEMPS-A: Cross-Sectional Study Using Latent Profile Analysis.

This study aimed to elucidate the distinct response patterns exhibited by patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD) and those with major depressive disorder (MDD) through the application of the short version of the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A-SV). A total of 2,458 participants consisting of patients with MDD (n=288), BD (BD I, n=111; BD II, n=427), and control group (n=1,632) completed the TEMPS-A-SV. The response patterns of the participants were classified into distinct profiles using latent profile analysis. The study further examined the impact of covariates such as age, sex, and diagnostic group on derived latent profile memberships. The following three latent profiles were identified: High Affective Temperament Group (17.86%), Low Affective Temperament Group (41.25%), and Middle Affective Temperament Group (40.89%). Compared with the patient group with MDD and BD, the control group was more likely to belong in the Low Affective Temperament Group, which showed a higher score on hyperthymic temperament than the Middle Affective Temperament Group. Furthermore, compared with the patients with BD, the MDD patients were more likely to be in the Low Affective Temperament Group rather than the Middle Affective Temperament Group. These results indicate that different affective temperaments exist between patients with MDD and BD. Attempting to classify response patterns using the TEMPS-A-SV can help diagnose MDD and BD correctly.

Patients with vitiligo have a distinct affective temperament profile: A cross-sectional study using Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Paris, and San Diego Auto-Questionnaire.

Vitiligo is a skin disease associated with significant psychiatric comorbidities. Affective temperaments represent the inherited foundation of personality and represent the biologically stable part of emotional reactivity. Studies assessing the temperament profile of patients with vitiligo are still scarce. This was a cross-sectional study enrolling 34 patients with vitiligo and 34 age and sex-matched healthy controls. Affective temperament profile was investigated using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Paris, and San Diego Auto-questionnaire. Dermatology life quality index was used to evaluate disease impact on patients' quality of life. We found significant differences with vitiligo patients scoring higher in anxious (11.5±4.76 vs. 9.06±6.22; p=0.036) and lower in hyperthymic (5.79±3.82 vs. 7.5±3.64; p=0.027) temperaments. Vitiligo worsening reported by patients was associated with recent psychological stressors in 18 cases (52.9%) and Koebner phenomenon in 20 cases (58.8%). Koebner phenomenon was more frequently associated with the hyperthymic temperament (p=0.035). Cyclothymic temperament was positively correlated with Dermatology life quality index (rho=0.417, p=0.014). This study demonstrated that patients with vitiligo have a distinct premorbid temperament profile. Having low hyperthymic and high anxious temperament traits seem to predispose patients to be less resilient to psychological stressors. A better understanding of the affective traits of vitiligo patients would be vital in personalising and adapting the management of this chronic skin disease.

Quality of Life of Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing Prostatectomy and Affective Temperament.

PurposeProstate cancer (PC) is one of the most common malignancies in men. The population of PC survivors is growing, and understanding the roles of different factors that affect quality of life (QoL) is important. We investigated the effects of affective temperament on the QoL of PC patients.Patients and MethodsAll subjects (n=100) underwent medical evaluation [including demographic data, medical history, physical examination, biochemical tests, and assessment of urinary incontinence (ICIQ-UI SF scale) and erectile dysfunction (ED) (IIEF-5 and subjective ED scale)] and psychological evaluation [including assessment of affective temperament using the TEMPS-A scale, depression and anxiety (using HADS), and QoL (EORTC-QLQ-C30 and EORTC-PR25)]. The relationships between individual variables were examined.ResultsErection quality after treatment was associated with better QoL in most parameters. Similar strong relationships were observed between the urinary incontinence scale and QoL. Depressive, cyclothymic, irritable, and anxious temperaments were associated with decreased QoL. On the EORTC-PR25 scale, associations were observed between a depressive temperament and worse sexual function and urinary symptoms, between a cyclothymic temperament and worse urinary symptoms, and between an irritable temperament and worse sexual functioning. Multivariate analysis identified the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms measured by HADS as the most important psychological factors affecting QoL.ConclusionQoL in PC survivors depends on many factors, including age, interval since diagnosis, tumor stage, treatment, complications, and affective temperament profile. Depressive, cyclothymic, irritable, and anxious temperaments were associated with poorer QoL in selected domains, which was not observed for a hyperthymic temperament. The temperament profile of patients was associated with mood and anxiety level, which were important determinants of a poorer QoL.

Predictive factors of quality of life in temporal and extratemporal lobe epilepsy: association with affective temperament profiles and psychiatric comorbidities.

Investigating predictive factors of reduced quality of life (QOL) of patients and their association with focal epilepsy can improve management and treatment strategies. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between affective temperaments, depression, anxiety, disease characteristics, and QOL and to explore the predictors of QOL in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and extratemporal lobe epilepsy (ETLE). A total of 50 patients with TLE, 51 patients with ETLE, and 70 controls were enrolled. Affective temperaments were evaluated using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A). QOL was assessed by the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory were used to explore depression and anxiety severity, respectively. Compared with the controls, patients with TLE and ETLE had significantly higher scores on all TEMPS-A scales, except on hyperthymic temperament. All the SF-36 subscale scores were lower in the TLE and ETLE groups. Linear regression analysis revealed that depressive symptoms, anxiety, depressive and irritable temperament, and seizure frequency were significant predictors of QOL in TLE. Patients with ETLE with temperamental disturbances, depressive symptoms, and polytherapy had a poorer QOL. Affective temperaments, psychiatric disorders, and clinical factors may predict impaired QOL in patients with TLE and ETLE. Further studies are needed to identify predictors of QOL in various epilepsy subtypes.

Evaluation of affective temperament profile and levels of depressive symptoms and anxiety in patients with restless legs syndrome.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a sleep-related sensorimotor disorder associated with mood and anxiety disorders. Although affective temperaments are considered subclinical manifestations of mood disorders (MDs), to date, no previous research has explored the relationship between affective temperaments and RLS. We aimed to evaluate affective temperaments, depressive symptoms, and anxiety among newly diagnosed, drug-naive patients with RLS. Additionally, our study identified possible associations between clinical variables and affective temperaments, depressive symptoms, and anxiety profiles in this group. The study included 74 patients with RLS and 90 healthy volunteers. All participants performed the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory, and Hamilton Anxiety Inventory. Temperament, depression, and anxiety scores in patients with RLS were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (p ≤ 0.05). Linear regression analysis showed that anxious temperament scores were positively related to longer disease duration (β = 0.658, p = 0.000), whereas disease severity (as measured by the International RLS Study Group Rating Scale) (β = 0.447, p = 0.006) and lower educational status (β = - 0.803, p = 0.008) correlated with the anxiety profile. Results suggested that higher scores on the affective temperament, depression, and anxiety scales indicate subclinical MDs and psychiatric comorbidities in RLS. Therefore, exploring the predictors of mood and anxiety disorders in patients with RLS may improve treatment strategies and clinical outcomes.

Affective Temperaments, Panic Disorder and Their Bipolar Connections.

Background and Objectives: The role of affective temperament in the genesis and outcome of major mood disorders is well studied, but there are only a few reports on the relationship between panic disorder (PD) and affective temperaments. Accordingly, we aimed to study the distribution of affective temperaments (depressive (DE); cyclothymic (CT); irritable (IRR); hyperthymic (HT) and anxious (ANX)) among outpatients with PD. Materials and Methods: Affective temperaments of 118 PD outpatients (80 females and 38 males) with or without agoraphobia but without any other psychiatric disorder at the time of inclusion were evaluated using the Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) and compared with the affective temperament scores of control subjects. All patients were followed up for at least 1.5 years in order to detect the onset of any major affective disorders, substance use disorders and suicide attempts. Results: Among females, the dominant ANX and DE temperaments were four and three times as common as in a large normative Hungarian sample (for both cases p < 0.01). Among male PD patients, only the dominant DE temperament was slightly overrepresented in a non-significant manner. Females with PD obtained significantly higher scores on ANX, DE and CT subscales of the TEMPS-A, whereas males with PD showed significantly higher scores on ANX, DE and HT temperament subscales compared with the members of a large normative Hungarian sample and also with a gender- and age-matched control group. During the follow-up, newly developed unipolar major depression and bipolar spectrum (bipolar I or II and cyclothymic) disorders appeared in 64% and 22% of subjects, respectively. Conclusions: Our preliminary findings suggest that a specific, ANX-DE-CT affective temperament profile is characteristic primarily for female patients, and an ANX-DE-HT affective temperament profile is characteristic for male patients with PD, respectively. These findings are in line with expectations because PD is an anxiety disorder par excellence on the one hand, whereas, on the other hand, it is quite frequently comorbid with mood (including bipolar) disorders.

SA45 - AFFECTIVE TEMPERAMENT AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN OBESE INDIVIDUALS IN THE CONTEXT OF SEROTONERGIC TRANSCRIPTIONAL GENE POLYMORPHISMS

Background Patients with obesity experience many psychological burdens. Some of them result directly from the load that jets excessive weight. Nevertheless, it seems that the susceptibility of obese people to accompanying mental disorders can be ingested not only by the environment, but also genetically. The aim of this work was to determine the correlation of the genetic aspects of serotoninergic (SERT, 5-HT2A) transmission with the severity of depressive symptoms and the affective temperament profile in subjects with simple obesity. Methods The study included 506 patients with simple obesity who were excluded secondary causes of obesity and significant mental illness. Clinical, psychological and genetic analyzes were performed. To assess the severity of depressive symptoms, Beck Depression Inventory and the Hamilton Depression Scale were used. Affective temperament was assessed using the TEMPS-A questionnaire. Polymorphism of serotonin transporter (SERT 44-bp insertion/deletion) and serotonin receptor 2 A type (1438 G/A) were evaluated as potential genetic markers of psychological factors. Results The long allele of SERT gene was associated with significantly higher BMI and more pronounced depressive, cyclothymic and hyperthymic dimensions of affective temperament. Interestingly, these subjects obtained the lowest scores of both scales, which measured the severity of depressive symptoms. Adenine homozygotes in examined 5-HT2A polymorphism were characterized by higher BMI and more pronounced anxious and, in particular, hyperthymic dimension of temperament. Carriers of particular polymorphisms in this gene did not differ significantly in the clinical scale evaluating the severity of depressive symptoms. Discussion Polymorphisms of both examined genes revealed correlations in affective temperamental dimensions. Acknowledgments in the SERT polymorphism seems to play a more important role in the regulation of reactive depressive symptoms.

SU43 - AFFECTIVE TEMPERAMENT AND POLIMORPHISMS IN GENES CODING ELEMENTS OF DOPAMINERGIC PATHWAYS IN OBESITY SUBJECTS

Background Temperament is a group of inherited personality traits that emerge in the early stages of human life. Such temperament is the basis of personality formation. The Hagop Akiskal, based on the theorems of Kraepelin and Kretschmer, established the existence of five types of affective temperament: depressive, hyperthymic, cyclothymic, irritable and anxious. It is now accepted that temperament is a constant, hereditary core of the personality that is virtually unchanged throughout life. Methods 506 patients diagnosed with obesity were included to the study after exclusion of significant psychiatric illnesses. Patients were subjected to clinical, psychological and genetic evaluation. The psychological assessment consisted in determining the severity of depressive symptoms (using the Beck Depression Inventory and Hamilton's Depression Scale) and the assessment of the affective temperament profile using TEMPS-A. Genetic evaluation consisted in the determination of polymorphisms DAT1 VNTR (SLC6A3) and cathelol-O-methyltransferase COMT (Val158Met). Results The results indicated an association between COMT and DAT1 alleles with depressive symptoms, BMI and as well as temperamental dimensions. Val homozygotes in COMT analysis scored less in both depression scales also they were less depressive, cyclothymic, irritable and anxious. Subjects homozygous for the nine-repeat allele scored higher in BDI (p=0.02) and HDRS (p=0.00001), suggesting higher intensity of depression, in both sexes. This allele was also associated with the highest Body Mass Index (BMI, p=0.001). Discussion Polymorphisms in the DAT1 and COMT genes are associated with greater intensity of depressive symptoms as well as higher BMI and affective temperament dimensions in obese individuals.

Étude des tempéraments affectifs chez des patients épileptiques en Tunisie

PurposeEpilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that is associated with an increased risk for psychopathology. Depression is the most common comorbid psychiatric condition in epilepsy, with often atypical clinical manifestations, including symptoms of irritability and anxiety. Temperament refers to biologically based characteristic patterns of emotional reactivity and self-regulation. In early studies, specific temperamental factors have been shown to be risk factors for depression symptoms in adult epilepsy patients. Thus, determining the affective temperament profile of epilepsy patients has important clinical implications especially in identifying those patients most at risk of developing mood disorders. However, very few studies of temperament in epilepsy patients have yet been published. The purpose of this study was to measure depression symptoms and severity, and to assess temperament in adult epilepsy patients, in comparison with control subjects; and to evaluate among the group of epilepsy patients the relationships between affective temperament types, sociodemographic profiles, clinical characteristics, and symptoms of depression. MethodParticipants were recruited from the Neurology Outpatient Department of National Institute of Neurology in Tunis, Tunisia. The study sample comprised 53 epilepsy outpatients (males=33, females=20) over the age of 16years with a confident diagnosis of epilepsy. Matched controls (based on sex and age) included 52 healthy individuals. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) and the Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-Auto questionnaire (TEMPS-A) was used in their Arabic versions to measure depression and temperament respectively. The questionnaires were administered individually. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 18. ResultsFindings indicated that patients with epilepsy had higher scores on depression and temperament scales than healthy controls. With respect to temperaments, hyperthymic temperament had the highest score in patients and controls, followed by anxious, cyclothymic, and depressive temperaments. Irritable temperament had the lowest average score. No significant associations were found between sociodemographic profile, illness characteristics and temperament scores in patients with epilepsy. An extremely strong association was found between depressive, cyclothymic, irritable and anxious temperament scores and the HRSD scale among epilepsy patients. These findings confirm literature data about affective temperament profile in epilepsy patients that put them at greater risk for mood disorders. ConclusionResults underscore the importance of assessment of affective temperaments among epilepsy patients, which could play a key role in defining the sub-group at high risk for developing mood disorders and improving, consequently, diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to patients suffering from both epilepsy and depression. More extended studies may help validate the concepts of profile temperaments in epilepsy and their relation to depressive vulnerability.

Affective Temperament Profiles in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: Association with Mood Disorders.

The aim of the present study was to screen for bipolarity and to investigate the affective temperaments of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and the possible association between the clinical and demographic characteristics of MS patients and temperament profiles. A total of 65 patients with MS and 66 healthy volunteers completed the 32-item hypomania checklist (HCl-32), the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ), and the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego-Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS-A) tests. The HCl-32, MDQ, and TEMPS-A scores were compared between the patients and healthy volunteers. MS patients had significantly higher scores for the depressive, cyclothymic, irritable, and anxious domains of the TEMPS-A scale than the control group, whereas relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) patients had higher MDQ and TEMPS-A hyperthymia scores than secondary progressive MS patients. MS patients who were being treated with interferon beta 1-b therapy had significantly higher MDQ scores than those being treated with interferon beta 1-a, glatiramer acetate, or who were without medication. Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores were positively correlated with TEMPS-A depressive and hyperthymic temperaments. Our results suggest that higher scores for affective temperament in MS patients indicate subclinical manifestations of mood disorders. Higher hyperthymia scores and manic symptoms detected in the RRMS group could shed light on the relationship between bipolarity and MS. Thus, the screening of bipolarity and affective temperament profiles in MS patients could help clinicians predict future mood episodes and decrease their impact on disease severity.

Affective Temperament Profiles of Overactive Bladder Patients.

Affective Temperament Profiles of Overactive Bladder Patients.

A case-control study on the affective temperament profiles, anxiety and depression levels of patients with chronic renal failure

Objectives: To determine the affective temperament profile of patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) in comparison to healthy subjects and to evaluate depression and anxiety status of patients. Methods: This was a case-control study into which 122 CRF patients (63 males, 59 females) and 100 healthy age- and gender-matched controls (66 females, 34 males) were included. The affective temperament profile was determined by Turkish version of Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A). For the assessment of depression and anxiety, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used. Results: Of the 122 patients, 28 (23%) were in predialysis, 22 (18%) periton dialysis, 30 (24.6%) hemodialysis and 42 (34.4%) transplantation. The majority of participants (n=169, 76.1%) had no dominant affective temperament according to TEMPS-A. For the remaining participants, the most common dominant affective temperament was depressive temperament (8.6%) followed by mixed temperament (7.7%) and anxious temperament (2.7%). There was no signifcantly difference in terms of affective temperament traits between patients and controls. Patient group had significantly higher depression and anxiety scores than healthy controls. There was no correlation between laboratory results and affective temperaments, anxiety, depression scores of patients. There was no significant difference between predialysis, periton dialysis, hemodialysis, and transplantation subgroups in terms of anxiety, depression or affective temperament traits (p>0.05 for all). Conclusion: There is no affective temperament profile specific to patients with CRF. However, considering the high rate of depression and anxiety among patients with CRF, knowing affective temperament profile of patients will guide clinicians through management of psychiatric disorders and CRF itself, thus will improve disease outcome and patients’ quality of life.

Affective temperament profiles and clinical correlates in patients with epilepsy: A link from mood disorders

BackgroundThe current study sought to investigate the affective temperaments of patients with epilepsy and possible relationships between disease characteristics and temperament profiles. MethodsA total of 70 adults with epilepsy and 70 healthy volunteers completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego (TEMPS-A). ResultsPatients with epilepsy had higher scores on these three scales than healthy controls. With respect to temperaments, irritable temperament alone was significantly higher in patients than controls. Irritable temperament also had a significant positive correlation with psychiatric history, whereas depressive temperament had a significant positive correlation with illness and treatment duration. Patients who had suffered simple partial and complex partial seizures had higher anxious temperament scores than patients with generalized epilepsy. LimitationsBecause the study group was recruited through consecutive patients seen in a single neurology clinic, our findings may not be representative of PWE in general. ConclusionsBecause irritability is one of the key symptoms of interictal dysphoric disorder and because TEMPS-A irritable temperament and BDI scores were found to be significantly related, the high rate of irritable temperament in our patient sample may be associated with depressive mood. We may suggest that at least some of the affective symptoms in patients with epilepsy and the historical concept of “epileptic personality” may be explained by affective temperaments.

Metabolic syndrome prevalence in different affective temperament profiles in bipolar-I disorder

Temperament originates in the brain structure, and individual differences are attributable to neural and physiological function differences. It has been suggested that temperament is associated with metabolic syndrome (MetS) markers, which may be partly mediated by lifestyle and socioeconomic status. Therefore, we aim to compare MetS prevalence between different affective temperamental profiles for each season in bipolar patients. Twenty-six bipolar type-I patients of a specialized outpatient mood disorder unit were evaluated for MetS according to new definition proposed by the International Diabetes Federation in the four seasons of a year. Temperament was assessed using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego - autoquestionnaire version (TEMPS-A). The proportions of MetS were 19.2, 23.1, 34.6, and 38.5% in the summer, fall, spring, and winter, respectively. Only depressive temperament scores were higher (p = 0.002) during the winter in patients with MetS. These data suggest that depressive temperament profiles may predispose an individual to the development of MetS in the winter.

Affective temperaments and hopelessness as predictors of health and social functioning in mood disorder patients: A prospective follow-up study

BackgroundAffective disorders are highly disabling illnesses constituting a significant burden for the patients, their family and the society. Therefore, it would be very useful to find tools which carefully subtype these conditions and have a strong and reliable predictive power concerning the course of illness and health and social functioning. To date, the role of hopelessness and affective temperaments in the prediction of health and social functioning and the course of affective disorders has not been studied. Thus, the aim of the present study was to assess whether affective temperaments and hopelessness, measured during hospitalization, can be useful in the prediction of global functioning (the severity of the illness and the presence and severity of psychosocial problems) at follow-up in inpatients with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder (BD). MethodsThe patients were 96 consecutive patients admitted to the inpatient psychiatric clinic of Sant'Andrea Hospital between January 2009 and December 2010. All patients completed the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego (TEMPS-A) and the Beck Hopelessness Scale on admission. They were contacted on average 14 months after discharge and were asked to complete a telephone interview based on the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS). ResultsTwo patients committed suicide before the follow-up assessment. Around 77% of the patients who completed the follow-up assessment were diagnosed as BD, and around 47% reported severe hopelessness. In the multivariate analyses, a factor derived from hopelessness and hyperthymia scores and unemployment, independently predicted severity of the illness and psychosocial functioning at the follow-up. ConclusionsScreening for the affective temperament profile and for hopelessness has importance for designing the treatment and rehabilitation plans of affective disorder patients, as these variables are involved in the course and outcome of affective disorder patients and influence their health and social functioning.

The Relationship of Affective Temperament and Emotional-Behavioral Difficulties to Internet Addiction in Turkish Teenagers

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of affective temperament profiles and emotional and behavioural characteristics with Internet addiction among high school students. The study sample included 303 high school students. A sociodemographic characteristics data form, internet addiction scale (IAS), the strengths and difficulties questionnaire, and the temperament evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego autoquestionnaire were used to collect data. Of the sample, 6.6% were found to be addicted to Internet. Having a computer in the home (P < 0.001) and using the Internet for more than two years (P < 0.001) were found to be related to higher scores on the IAS. The prevalence rate of anxious temperament for Internet addicts was more than that for nonaddicts (P < 0.001). Dysthymic (r = 0.199; P < 0.01), cyclothymic (r = 0.249; P < 0.01), hyperthymic (r = 0.156; P < 0.01), irritable (r = 0.254; P < 0.01), and anxious (r = 0.205; P < 0.01) temperaments; conduct problems (r = 0.146; P < 0.05), hyperactivity-inattention (r = 0.133; P < 0.05), emotional symptoms (r = 0.138; P < 0.05), and total difficulties (r = 0.160; P < 0.01) were found to be correlated with IAS scores. According to these findings, there is a relation between the Internet addiction and affective temperament profiles, especially with anxious temperament. Furthermore, emotional and behavioural problems are more frequent in adolescents who have problematic Internet use.

2684 – The relationship of affective temeperament and emotional-behavioral difficulties to internet addiction in high school students

Introduction Adolescents with Internet addiction were also shown to have higher scores in neuroticism and psychoticism temperament categories than those of the control group. Objectives There is not a study in the literature addressing the correlation between affective temperament profiles and the Internet addiction. Aims Our aim was to compare the affective temperament profiles and emotional and behavioural characteristics of adolescents with or without the Internet addiction. Methods This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. It was conducted in a high school. The study sample included 303 students. A sociodemographic characteristics data form, Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (DSQ), and The Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Autoquestionnaire (TEMPSA) were used to collect data. Results Of the sample, 6.6% were found to be addicted to Internet. Having a computer in the home (p Conclusions There is a relation between the Internet addiction and affective temperament profiles, especialy with anxious temperament. Furthermore, emotional and behavioural problems are more frequent in adolescents who have problematic Internet use.

Affective temperaments: Familiality and clinical use in mood disorders

BackgroundThe affective temperament profiles among patients with mood disorders may be an important parameter in the clinical evaluation of these patients. It has been proposed that temperament traits have familiality and may represent vulnerability markers to identify the risk to developing specific clinical type of mood disorders. To test these theories, measures of temperament were examined in bipolar patients (BP), unipolar major depressive patients (UP), healthy relatives of these patients (HRP) and normal controls (NC). MethodsWe compared affective temperament scores, using the brief Brazilian version of TEMPS-A—TEMPS-Rio de Janeiro, between 90 BP, 88 UP, 132 HRP and 136 NC. A MANCOVA model was constructed. Dependent variables were the six subscales of the TEMPS-RJ (depressive, cyclothymic, irritable, hyperthymic, anxious and worrying temperaments). The effects of age and gender were adjusted as covariates. Furthermore, we performed a comparison between a subgroup of 68 HRP, relatives of bipolar patients (HRBP), and the remainders 64 HRP, relatives of unipolar patients (HRUP) and controls. ResultsThe clinical group (BP, UP) showed higher temperament scores than NC, except for hyperthymic scores. BP showed higher cyclothymic (p<0.001), hyperthymic (p<0.001) and lower anxious (p<0.01) temperament scores than UP. HRP showed lower scores than clinical groups. HRBP scored higher cyclothymic subscale than HRUP and NC groups. LimitationsBipolar I and II subjects were placed in the same group. ConclusionsThe cyclothymic and hyperthymic traits were associated with bipolarity in patients and cyclothymic temperament could be a characteristic trait of the healthy relatives of bipolar patients. Our data support that affective temperament might become a useful tool for clinical evaluation and research purposes in mood disorders.

Affective temperament profile of patients who use complementary and alternative medicine

Affective temperament profile of patients who use complementary and alternative medicine