Higher Neuroticism Scores Research Articles

Suicide and Personality Traits: A Multicenter Study of Austrian and Italian Psychiatric Patients and Students.

The aim of this multicenter study was to investigate the differences in personality traits, particularly Neuroticism, in three clinical samples and three student samples in Austria and Italy and their impact on suicide. In total, 1,043 people (410 psychiatric inpatients and 633 university students) were tested in three regions of Europe: central Italy, northeast Italy, and eastern Austria. Psychiatric diagnoses were evaluated using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, and the following instruments were used: Sociodemographic Questionnaire, Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale-B, Symptom-Checklist-90-Standard, and Big Five Inventory. The study found that the intensity of Suicidal Ideation was associated with the personality traits of Neuroticism, Anxiety, and Extraversion but also with Depression. In conclusion, without the presence of Depression symptoms, neuroticism was a protective factor against Suicidal Ideation, whereas neuroticism when comorbid with Depression symptoms increased suicide risk in psychiatric patients. In all three regions, the clinical samples had higher scores for Neuroticism and for Depression symptoms than the student sample and consequently higher scores for Suicide. Furthermore, we demonstrated an interaction between gender and culture on personality traits, supporting the hypothesis that the distribution of self-reported personality traits is organized geographically.

The Effect Of Psycho-Education Program On Increase The Tendency To Forgive and Five Factor Personality Properties Of Forgiveness Tendency

The basic aim of this study is to examine the effect of psycho-education program for gaining the tendency to forgive on Big five personality traits. The study was carried out via experimental design to determine the cause and effect relationship between the independent variable (big five personality traits) and the dependent variable (tendency to forgive). The study was conducted with Pretest- Posttest Control Group Design. 24 university students who attended to the study were randomly assigned to the experimental and the control group each of which consisted of 12 university students. 
 The data was collected through Big Five Personality Traits Scale and Heartland Forgiveness Scale. Within the scope of the study, experimental group was given10-week psycho-education program to gain positive personality traits and to gaining forgiveness tendency while control group was not given any intervention. The effectiveness of the group counseling process was tested by the same scale in pre-experimental, post-experimental and follow up processes. 
 According to the findings of the study, it was found that all of the personality traits were effective in order to help to increase the tendency of forgiveness of individuals with high scores for neuroticism, one of the big five personality traits, and low scores for forgiveness, that is people with less forgiveness competency. The findings were discussed in the light of the literature and recommendations were made accordingly.

A Multicentre Study of Psychological Variables and the Prevalence of Burnout among Primary Health Care Nurses.

Nurses in primary health care (PHC) have multiple responsibilities but must often work with limited resources. The study’s aim was to estimate burnout levels among PHC nurses. A Quantitative, observational, cross-sectional, multicentre study of 338 nurses working in PHC in the Andalusian Public Health Service (Spain) is presented. A total of 40.24% of the nurses studied had high levels of burnout. The dimensions of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation were significantly associated with anxiety, depression, neuroticism, on-call duty and seniority-profession and inversely related to agreeableness. In addition, depersonalisation was significantly associated with gender, and emotional exhaustion correlated inversely with age. Personal achievement was inversely associated with anxiety and depression and positively correlated with agreeableness, extraversion and responsibility. There is a high prevalence of burnout among nurses in PHC. Those most likely to suffer burnout syndrome are relatively young, suffer from anxiety and depression and present high scores for neuroticism and low ones for agreeableness, responsibility and extraversion.

Prefrontal cortex activity triggered by affective faces exposure and its relationship with neuroticism

The emotional processing of affective faces is an essential element of social relationships. Individual differences in personality traits such as neuroticism can influence how we manage these interactions. The objective of this study was to analyze changes in prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity in response to visual exposure to affective faces, and to ascertain whether changes in PFC activity were related to scores in neuroticism, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and dependence facets. Fifty-two healthy undergraduate female students participated in the present study. Results showed significant differences depending on face valence in the left and right ventrolateral PFC. We found a reduction in oxygen consumption in reaction to neutral and happy faces, and a small increase in oxygenation in reaction to angry faces both in the left and the right PFC. There were significant positive correlations in the left ventrolateral PFC between oxygenation changes during exposure to neutral and happy faces and the neuroticism factor. Anxiety and depression facets showed positive significant correlations with oxygenation changes for all Time blocks. Notice that participants with high neuroticism scores did not show differences in ventrolateral PFC activity depending on face valence. We suggest that PFC would play a protective role in response to emotional stimuli. The reduced regulatory control of PFC over the amygdala could explain vulnerability to emotional disorders in subjects with high neuroticism.

Social comparison in parents of children with chronic conditions: Results from the Portuguese version of the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure

Aim The Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure (INCOM) is a measure for assessing individual differences in social comparison orientation. Despite the relevance of social comparison orientation in understanding adult patients' adjustment responses to chronic health conditions, the impact of parental social comparison processes in the context of chronic pediatric conditions remains unexplored. This study’s main goal was to examine the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the INCOM with parents of children with chronic health conditions. Method Two samples of parents of children with chronic pediatric conditions (asthma, epilepsy, diabetes and obesity) were used (test sample, N = 301; validation sample, N = 192). Parents completed self-reported measures of social comparison orientation, anxiety and depression symptoms and neuroticism. Results Regarding factorial validity, results supported the unidimensionality of a revised INCOM scale, comprised of nine items. Results also supported the reliability of the measure, and provided evidence of concurrent validity: parents with higher social comparison orientation presented more anxiety and depressive symptoms, and higher neuroticism scores, consistent with what was theoretically expected. Conclusion This study opens an important door in the field of pediatric chronic conditions, supporting the relevance of examining parents’ social comparison differences in future research, and the utility of the INCOM in the assessment of those differences.

854-P: Personality, Self-Management Behaviors, and Glycemic Control among Japanese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM)

Diabetes self-management is an essential part of diabetes care. Although several personality traits were reportedly associated with self-management behaviors or glycemic control in Western countries, clinical evidence of such an association is still sparse, especially among Asian patients with diabetes. Thus, we aimed to clarify the associations among personality, self-management behaviors, and glycemic control in Japanese patients with T2DM. Analyzed were 510 Japanese patients with T2DM (62.2 ± 11.2 y; 57% men) with available information on personality (assessed by NEO Five-Factor Inventory), diabetes self-management activities (assessed by the Japanese version of Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities), body mass index (BMI), and HbA1c. Coefficient of correlation indicated that those with high scores for neuroticism, as well as low scores for conscientiousness, had lower levels of diet (neuroticism r = -0.14, P<0.05; conscientiousness r = 0.14, P<0.001) and physical activity (neuroticism r = -0.13, P<0.05; conscientiousness r = 0.15, P<0.001) self-management than those without such scores. There was no significant trend in medication adherence according to personality traits. Structural equation modeling showed that HbA1c was negatively associated with conscientiousness (standardized path coefficients = -0.024, P<0.05). Conscientiousness was significantly associated with higher self-management scores on diet and physical activity and was directly and indirectly (via BMI) related to HbA1c levels. Our results showed that Japanese patients with high conscientiousness levels had better glycemic control via favorable adherence to diet and physical activity but not medication adherence than those with lower conscientiousness levels. Evaluation of personality traits could identify patients likely to exhibit good/poor diabetes self-management care. This might be helpful in providing effective and efficient patient education. Disclosure S.Y. Morikawa: None. K. Fujihara: None. M. Hatta: None. Y. Takeda: None. D. Ishii: None. J. Yachida: None. C. Horikawa: None. M. Kato: None. H. Maegawa: Research Support; Self; Antares Pharma, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Astellas Pharma Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. H. Sone: Research Support; Self; Astellas Pharma Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, Kowa Pharmaceutical Europe Co. Ltd., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd., Novo Nordisk Inc., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Teijin Pharma Limited.

Comparison of General Health, Coping Styles, Religious Orientations, and Personality Dimensions between Mothers with Intellectual Disability Children and Mothers with Normal Children

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to compare general health, coping styles, religious orientations, and personality dimensions of mothers with intellectually disable (ID) and normal children. Methods: A total of 258 mothers were randomly selected. The data were collected using questionnaires of General Health, NEO Five Factors, Islamic Religiosity, and Ways of Coping. Then, the independent-sample T test was run to analyze the results. Results: Comparison of the participants' mean scores showed that the general health of mothers with ID children was lower than mothers with normal children. Compared to mothers with normal children, mothers with ID children used emotional focus coping styles more frequently. However, no significant difference was observed between the two groups with regard to application of problem focus coping style. Mothers of ID children were more disorganized than mothers with normal children. Comparison of the mean scores of personality dimensions between the two groups revealed that mothers of ID children had higher scores in neuroticism and lower scores in extraversion, openness, agreeable, and consciousness. Conclusion: With respect to the numerous problems that mothers of children with ID experience, it seems necessary to take actions to solve their problems and to improve their health status.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN WHITE MATTER HYPERINTENSITIES, FRONTAL BRAIN VOLUMES AND NEUROTICISM IN LATE LIFE DEPRESSION

Introduction The neurobiology of neuroticism in late life depression (LLD) is understudied. Previous structural imaging research has linked both smaller hippocampal volumes and greater volume of vascular white matter changes to LLD. We hypothesized older depressed subjects scoring high in measures of neuroticism would have smaller hippocampal volumes compared with non-neurotic older depressed subjects and with non-depressed controls. Methods Non-demented subjects were recruited and were either depressed with high neuroticism, depressed with low neuroticism or not depressed (control). Neuroticism was assessed using the NEO PI. A study psychiatrist confirmed or ruled out diagnosis of depression for depressed and control subjects. Brain MRIs were performed. Results The study sample consisted of 128 older depressed subjects and 36 never depressed controls. Subjects had a mean age of 72 and were 70% female. 50% of depressed subjects scored high on the NEO-PI neuroticism measure. For outcomes focusing on white matter changes, we found that non-neurotic depressed subjects had a higher volume of white matter vascular change than did neurotic depressed subjects and non-depressed controls. For imaging outcomes focused on volumetric analyses, we several frontal lobe regions for which depressed subjects with high neuroticism scores had smaller volumes compared with non-neurotic older depressed subjects and with non-depressed controls, controlling for age and gender. These regions included frontal pole, medial orbitofrontal cortex and left pars orbitalis. We did not find significant between-group differences in hippocampal volume. Conclusions In late-life depression hippocampal volume was not associated with depression or neuroticism. Our finding that those depressed subjects low in neuroticism had higher white matter vascular change volumes is consistent with prior literature on “vascular depression.” However, our finding that those high in neuroticism had similar white matter vascular change to controls implies that there may be a different neurobiological mechanism in older neurotic depressed group. This notion is supported by our finding that several frontal lobe structures were smaller in patients who scored high in measures of neuroticism than in non-neurodepressed subjects and in non-depressed controls. Our results suggest that multiple biological pathologies that can lead to different clinical expressions of LLD. This research was funded by The Leo and Anne Albert Charitable Trust National Institute of Mental Health Grant R01 MH108578

Pharmaco-epidemiology of antidepressant exposure in a UK cohort record-linkage study.

Antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed psychiatric medication but concern has been raised about significant increases in their usage in high income countries. We aimed to quantify antidepressant prevalence, incidence, adherence and predictors of use in the adult population. The study record-linked administrative prescribing and morbidity data to the Generation Scotland cohort ( N = 11,052), between 2009 and 2016. Prevalence and incidence of any antidepressant use was determined. Antidepressant adherence was measured using Proportion of Days Covered and Medication Possession Ratio. Time-to-event analysis for incident antidepressant use within 5 years of Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study (GS:SFHS) recruitment was performed to reveal patient-level predictors of use. Almost one-third (28.0%, 95%CI 26.9-29.1) of the adults in our sample were prescribed at least one antidepressant in the 5-year period 2012-2016. There was a 36.2% increase in annual prevalence between 2010 and 2016. Incidence was 2.4(2.1-2.7)% per year. The majority of antidepressant episodes (57.6%) were greater than 9 months duration and adherence was generally high (69.0% with Proportion of Days Covered >80%). Predictors of new antidepressant use included history of affective disorder, being female, physical comorbidities, higher neuroticism scores, and lower cognitive function scores. Antidepressant prevalence is greater than previously reported but incidence remains relatively stable. We found the majority of antidepressant episodes to be of relatively long duration with good estimated adherence. Our study supports the hypothesis that increased long-term use among existing (and returning) users, along with wider ranges of indications for antidepressants, has significantly increased the prevalence of these medications.

Subjective Cognitive Impairment in 55-65-Year-Old Adults Is Associated with Negative Affective Symptoms, Neuroticism, and Poor Quality of Life.

Although subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) is increasingly recognized clinically and in research as a risk factor for mild cognitive impairment and dementia (particularly Alzheimer’s disease), it is etiologically heterogeneous and potentially treatable. Compared to mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease, SCI however remains poorly characterized with debate continuing regarding its clinical relevance. The primary aim of this study was to improve the characterization of SCI within the general public by investigating functions sometimes omitted clinically or in research, namely visual attention-related information processing speed (RT) and its intra-individual variability (IIVRT), general cognition, depression, anxiety, memory, quality of life (QOL), and neuroticism. Compared to individuals without SCI, those with SCI were more likely to reveal higher scores of anxiety, depression, and neuroticism and poorer perceived physical, psychological, and environmental QOL. Within-group analysis identified no significant relationships between any of the above variables for the non-SCI group whereas for the SCI group, poorer Cognitive Change Index scores were significantly correlated with slower RT, raised IIVRT, poorer memory, negative affective symptoms, higher neuroticism scores, and poorer QOL. This indicates that reports of perceived memory changes in SCI can also be associated with other characteristics, namely objectively measured detrimental change in other aspects of brain function and behavior. This outcome emphasizes the importance of a multi-function approach to characterizing and understanding SCI. Thus, although the effect of RT and IIVRT is not strong enough to differentiate SCI from non-SCI at group level, slowing and raised IIVRT do appear to characterize some people with SCI.

Personality, depression and anxiety in primary Sjogren's syndrome - Association with sociodemographic factors and comorbidity.

ObjectivePatients with primary Sjögren’s Syndrome (pSS) have diminished health quality and fatigue, arthralgia along with dryness of the mouth and eyes have major impact on their psychological and social aspects of life. The purpose of this study was to determine psychological features of patients with pSS. We analyzed personality, depression and anxiety of patients with primary Sjögren’s Syndrome (pSS) in comparison with patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy controls (HC) and assessed their association with sociodemographic factors and comorbidity.MethodsIn 105 pSS patients (mean age 51.34 years, mean disease duration 5.98 years), 52 RA patients (mean age 51.37 years, mean disease duration 8.10 years) and 54 HC (mean age 51.35 years) clinical and sociodemographic characteristics were determined and results analyzed. At enrollment patients and controls completed the Revisited NEO Personality Inventory Five-Factor model (NEO-PI-R), the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale and the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS [Version 16.0]. The relative size of the effect was assessed based on standardized estimates of effect size (d).ResultsPatients with pSS, similarly to RA patients had higher scores of Neuroticism (d = 0.46, p = 0.007) and lower scores of Extraversion (d = 0.51, p = 0.001) and Openness for experience (d = 0.65, p = 0.013) compared to HC. There was no significant differences between pSS group and HC in the depression (d = 0.171, p>0.05). However, patients with pSS had higher anxiety in comparison to HC (p<0.0001). In multivariate models, education and satisfaction with family relationships were significant predictors for psychological characteristics of patients, independently of clinical diagnosis.ConclusionsOur study is the first to show that patients with pSS scored high on neuroticism and anxiety and low on sociability. Education and satisfaction with family relationships predisposed to their psychological profile. Psychological assessment of patients with pSS may improve understanding and treatment of this clinical condition.

Psychosocial aspects and personality dimensions among a sample of patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, a burden to society through total direct costs, reduced social functioning, and quality of life impairment. Aim The aim of the study was to determine the associated psychosocial risk factors and personality traits in a sample of IBS patients. Participants and methods A total of 100 patients of IBS were recruited from the Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinics Departments at Al Zahraa University Hospital during the period from January 2018 to August 2018 and 100 apparently healthy participants as the control group (aged 18–45 years) were subjected to clinical psychiatric assessment, Eysenck’s Personality Questionnaire, Stressor life events questionnaire, and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I. Results The total number of cases was 100 [25 (25%) men and 75 (75%) women] with a mean age of 34.18±6.4 years; there was statistical significance regarding age, sex, marital status, and high significance in family history of IBS, education, employment; 51% had long duration of illness of more than 5 years. High neuroticism score was detected in 63% of the patients versus (VS) 20% of the control group and 52% of the patients had low extroversion VS 16% in the control group. There was high statistical significance in family, economic, social, emotional, health, and personal stressors. Moreover, 66% of the patients had psychiatric comorbidity, high statistical significance with generalized anxiety disorder and hypochondriasis, and statistical significance with somatization, dysthymic disorder, mixed anxiety depression, and panic disorder. Conclusion In this study, we found that IBS was associated with significant psychological distress and psychiatric comorbidities as psychosocial factors, so good assessment and early recognition will permit early intervention to improve outcome of the IBS and quality of life.

The effects of latent toxoplasma gondii infection on the behavior and personality characteristics of university students

Objective: It is well known that one-third of the world population is infected with toxoplasma gondii (t. gondii), and the seroprevalence varies according to socioeconomic status and hygienic habits. Nowadays, it’s thought that t. gondii which is related asymptomatic latent infections in brain and muscle tissue may be related with neuro-psychiatric conditions. Methods: T. gondii IgG levels of serum samples obtained from 150 volunteer university stu-dents who participated in the study according to inclusion criteria were determined according to the manufacturer's recommendations by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) method. Criminal profiles (accident claims, criminal conviction), impulsive behaviors (non-suicidal self-injury, attempted suicide) and personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience) of the participants were recorded by appropriate scales and/or clinical interviews. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between t. gondii seropositivity and impulsive behaviors such as suicide attempt and physical injury, criminal events such as crime and traffic accidents and 5 factor personality types in psychiatric healthy individuals. Results: Sixty-nine (46%) of participants were male and 81 were female (54%), ages ranged from 20 to 37 (25.71±3.08) and the rate of seropositivity was determined as 30.66%. The relationship between seropositivity and accident claims was not statistically significant; the criminal conviction, non-suicidal self-injury and attempted suicide were statistically correlated. There was no statistical difference in terms of the features of extraversion or openness to experience between seronegative and seropositive groups. However, the t. gondii IgG were statistically highly correlated with lower agreeableness, lower conscientiousness and higher neuroticism scores. Conclusion: The data obtained from our study which is the first study conducted with this context in our country, confirms that latent t. gondii may be associated with negative behavioral outcomes. In order to fully understand the possible effects of t. gondii in psychiatric disorders, prospective-based studies are needed.

Creatividad y personalidad, ¿conectadas en el trastorno mental?

Creativity and personality are two very studied constructs throughout history for their involvement in the person's life development. The objective of this research is to study if there are differences in creativity and personality between people with mental disorder and people without mental disorder and the relationship between the variables in each group. Method: The sample (M=52.52, SD=13.00) is composed of 54 subjects from different municipalities of the northwest area of the Community of Madrid. The tests administered were the revised Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQR) and the Crea test. Results: The analysis show that group of people with severe mental disorder has obtained significantly higher scores in neuroticism and psychoticism to the group of people without serious mental disorder; in the correlational analysis, no significant correlations are obtained. Conclusions: These results are relevant for implications for psychological intervention in people with mental disorders.

The personality traits of left-behind children in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACTLeft-behind children (LBC) account for more than one in five Chinese children and more frequently exhibit some personality deviations as a result of being separated from their parents. Therefore, this meta-analysis aimed to systematically review the personality traits of LBC using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ). Relevant studies were identified by searching various electronic databases, and 39 articles that contained 12,494 LBC and 10,381 non-LBC were ultimately included in this meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses by grades and sex were conducted to study the personality deviation rate and personality factor scores in LBC.The results indicated that the personality deviation rates of LBC were higher than those of non-LBC. LBC in middle school had higher personality deviation rates than LBC in elementary school. LBC in elementary school had higher neuroticism scores and psychoticism scores than non-LBC. In addition, the analysis of LBC in elementary school showed that boys had higher neuroticism scores but lower psychoticism scores than girls. In conclusion, this meta-analysis indicates that LBC, particularly those in middle school, exhibit higher rates of personality deviation. Meanwhile, regarding to LBC in elementary school, boys are more likely to exhibit emotional instability whereas girls are more likely to show a tendency toward psychoticism.

Post-traumatic stress disorder among the staff of a mental health hospital: Prevalence and risk factors.

BackgroundMental health service providers are frequently exposed to stress and violence in the line of duty. There is a dearth of data concerning the psychological sequelae of the frequent exposure to stress and violence, especially among those who work in resource-limited countries such as Botswana.AimTo determine the prevalence and predictors of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among mental health workers in a tertiary mental health institute in Botswana.SettingThe study was conducted in Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital, which is the only referral psychiatric hospital in Botswana.MethodsThe study used a descriptive cross-sectional design. A total of 201 mental health workers completed a researcher-designed psycho-socio-demographic questionnaire, which included one neuroticism item of the Big Five Inventory, and a PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C), which was used to assess symptoms of PTSD.ResultsMajority of the study participants were general nurses (n = 121, 60.5%) and females (n = 122, 60.7%). Thirty-seven (18.4%) of the participants met the criteria for PTSD. Exposure to violence in the past 12 months (AOR = 3.26; 95% CI: 1.49–7.16) and high neuroticism score (AOR = 2.72; 95% CI: 1.19–6.24) were significantly associated with the diagnosis of PTSD among the participants.ConclusionPost-traumatic stress disorder could result from stressful events encountered in the course of managing patients in mental health institutes and departments. Pre-placement personality evaluation of health workers to be assigned to work in psychiatric units and post-incident trauma counselling of those exposed to violence may be beneficial in reducing the occurrence of PTSD in mental hospital health care workers.

Síndrome de carga del cuidador y factores asociados en cuidadores familiares gallegos

IntroductionMost of existing work on burden among family caregivers has methodological sample constraints. Moreover, there is contradictory information regarding sociodemographic variables, especially those related to care, clinical variables, and burden. Few studies have analysed the self-esteem and personality characteristics as correlates of burden. In this study, an analysis is performed on the prevalence of burden among family caregivers and the relationship with their sociodemographic, care-related, and clinical characteristics. Materials and methodsThe study consisted of a randomly selected sample of 294 family caregivers (mean age 55.3years, 89.8% women) from the Autonomous Region of Galicia, Spain. Trained psychologists assessed the presence of burden via the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview (CBI). Information was also collected on sociodemographic, care-related variables, social support, personality characteristics, and self-esteem. ResultsMore than half (55.4%) of the surveyed caregivers exhibited burden (CBI>24), with mean score of 27.3 (SD=13.3). Not being employed outside the home and having higher scores in neuroticism were associated with a greater probability of presenting with burden, while being older and having higher social support were associated with a lower risk. ConclusionsA significant number of caregivers suffered from burden in the current study. Psychotherapeutic interventions need to be developed for those who are already suffering from burden, as well as prevention strategies for those who have not yet developed it.

Which Spanish Living Kidney Donors Fear Post Donation Kidney Failure?

PI15/00550 - Characterization of the fear of kidney failure in the living kidney donor. Background The impact of fearing the failure of the non-donated kidney is unknown in Spanish donors. For this reason, we aimed at assessing the validity of the Spanish version of the Fear of Kidney Failure Questionnaire (FKF), along with characterizing living donors with higher fear of kidney failure. Methods 205 living kidney donors (LKDs) were randomly selected and stratified by year of donation (2005-2015). 139 general population participants without history of, or a current renal disease and/or without first-degree relatives suffering a renal disease were recruited as comparison group. Reliability of the FKF was assessed. The FKF criterion validity was evaluated by calculating its linear relationship with anxiety, depression, and fear-related personality dimensions. Divergent validity was verified by assessing whether the FKF was unrelated to personality dimensions non-relevant for fear states. LKDs were grouped by Cluster Analysis of the FKF scores. Clusters were compared on demographic and clinical variables to describe those LKDs with higher scores in the FKF, which were further characterized by calculating the most specific logistic regression model. Results The internal consistency of the FKF was acceptable for the whole sample (α=0.95), and the LKDs (α=0.91) and general population (α=0.94) subsamples. Temporal stability of the FKF was acceptable (ICC=0.93). Factor analysis showed that the FKF was composed by a single factor explaining 83.5% of variance. Both for the whole sample and the LKDs and general population subsamples, the FKF was positively correlated with depressive and anxiety symptoms, and neuroticism (convergent validity). The FKF was unrelated to extroversion, openness to experience and conscientiousness (divergent validity). Fear of Kidney Failure in the general population subsample almost doubled the mean of the LKDs subsample. The FKF Cluster Analysis classified LKDs in three groups: absence of fear (68%), moderate fear (20%), and high fear of kidney failure (12%). Groups did not differ in demographics or donation outcomes. No differences were observed between groups in regret for having donated. However, higher FKF scorers were somewhat less satisfied with the experience of donation. This subgroup also showed a higher percentage of potential cases of depressive (16%) and anxiety disorders (20%), a worse quality of life, and higher scores in neuroticism. A higher percentage of these donors (20%) were followed both by the Nephrologist and the Family Doctor. Multivariate logistic regression showed that, once controlled the effect of presenting a potential depressive or anxiety disorder, FKF higher scorers were best characterized by higher scores in neuroticism. Conclusions Post donation fear of kidney failure is infrequent in Spanish LKDs. However, a subgroup of them, best characterized by a higher neuroticism, shows elevated FKF scores, a worse quality of life, and might present with anxiety and depressive disorders. This work has been funded by the project PI15/00550, integrated in the Plan Nacional I+D+I and co-funded by ISCIII-Subdirección General de Evaluación and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Relation of high neuroticism with increased methylation of the BDNF gene.

BackgroundBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin that has an important function in neuroplasticity and neuronal development. It is suggested that increased methylation of the BDNF gene resulting in decreased BDNF activity is associated with depression. Meanwhile, neuroticism is a well-known risk factor for developing depression. In the present study, the relationship between methylation of the BDNF gene and personality traits including neuroticism was examined.Subjects and methodsThe subjects were 98 healthy Japanese. Methylation levels of the BDNF gene were determined by the bisulfite-pyrosequencing method. Personality traits including neuroticism were assessed by the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised.ResultsThere was a positive correlation between neuroticism scores and methylation levels of the BDNF gene. The subjects with higher neuroticism scores had higher levels of BDNF gene methylation compared with those with lower neuroticism scores. Meanwhile, other personality traits were not associated with BDNF gene methylation.ConclusionThe present study suggests that high neuroticism is related to increased methylation of the BDNF gene.

Personality traits and course of symptoms of depression and apathy after stroke: Results of the CASPER study

ObjectivePost-stroke depression (PSD) and post-stroke apathy (PSA) are both associated with adverse outcome after stroke. This study aimed to examine whether personality traits predict the course of PSD and PSA. MethodsIn this prospective cohort study, 240 stroke patients completed the NEO Five Factor Inventory, Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, and Apathy Evaluation Scale at 3 months post-stroke. Neuropsychiatric assessment was repeated at 6- and 12-month follow-up after initial testing. ResultsLinear mixed models showed that high neuroticism scores were associated with higher depression levels at baseline, and this association remained stable at follow-up. High extraversion scores and high conscientiousness scores were associated with lower apathy levels at baseline. For neuroticism, a significant interaction with time was found, with higher neuroticism scores at baseline being associated with an increase in apathy scores from 6-month to 12-month follow-up. Prospective analyses showed that high extraversion predicted low apathy levels at 6-month and 12-month follow-up independent of its relations with baseline depression and apathy. High neuroticism predicted high apathy levels at 12-month follow-up, whereas high agreeableness and high openness predicted high apathy levels and low apathy levels, respectively, at 6-month follow-up. None of the personality traits predicted depression scores at follow-up. ConclusionPersonality traits are associated with the development and sustainability of PSD and PSA. The traits associated with PSD and PSA were different, providing support for the independence of these constructs. The findings highlight the importance to take personality traits into account as a potential vulnerability factor for PSD and PSA.