Lower Levels Of Self-directedness Research Articles

Understanding the Co-occurrence of Gambling Disorder and Problematic Pornography Use: Exploring Sociodemographic and Clinical Factors.

The co-occurrence between gambling disorder (GD) and problematic pornography use (PPU) has not yet been explored. Therefore, the present study compared (a) sociodemographic variables, (b) GD-related factors, (c) substance use, (d) psychopathology, (e) personality features, (f) impulsivity, and (g) emotion regulation between individuals with GD (GD group) and those with co-occurring GD and PPU (GD+PPU group). The sample consisted of 359 treatment-seeking individuals with GD: n = 332 individuals had GD only (GD group) and n = 37 individuals had GD and co-occurring PPU (GD+PPU group). GD severity, impulsivity, psychopathology, personality, emotion regulation, and other sociodemographic and clinical variables were assessed. No between-group differences in sociodemographic measures were observed. The GD+PPU group demonstrated greater GD severity and a higher likelihood of substance use compared to those without PPU. Furthermore, the presence of PPU was associated with worse psychopathology, higher impulsivity (except for lack of premeditation and positive urgency), more difficulties in emotion regulation (except for non-acceptance of emotions and limited access to emotions), and a personality profile characterized by lower levels of self-directedness and cooperativeness. The co-occurrence of GD and PPU seems associated with a more dysfunctional clinical profile.

Factors related to the dual condition of gambling and gaming disorders: A path analysis model

Background and aimsGaming disorder has experienced rapid growth in the last decade among youth and adult populations, in parallel to the expansion of the videogame industry. The objective of this study was to explore the underlying process to explain the dual diagnosis of gaming with gambling disorder. MethodsThe sample included n = 117 patients who met clinical criteria for gaming disorder, recruited from a tertiary care unit specialized in the treatment of behavioral addictions. Path analysis (implemented through structural equation modeling) assessed the direct and mediational mechanisms between the dual condition of gaming + gambling disorder and sociodemographic variables and personality traits. ResultsThe comorbid gaming + gambling disorder was met for 14.5% of the participants (additionally, 6.0% of the sample also met criteria for problematic gambling). The dual diagnosis was directly related to an older age at onset of the addiction problems, a higher level of the novelty seeking trait and being in active work. Employment status also mediated the relationship between persistence levels and chronological age. Greater psychopathological distress was related to females, higher levels of harm avoidance and persistence and lower levels of self-directedness. ConclusionsThe results of this study provide empirical evidence for the specific factors that increase the likelihood of the dual gaming + gambling disorder. Clinical settings should consider these features to improve gaming diagnosis and treatment. Preventive programs should also be focused on the most vulnerable groups to prevent onset and progression of this comorbid condition.

Comparison of temperament and character of patients with major depressive disorder with control group

Background: Depression, causes problems in social and individual aspects of life, so is the major disease burden in modern societies. There is complex relationship between personality and depression, so some special forms of personality may predispose the person to the depression, and depression and its symptoms may manifest different as a result of the various personalities. Methods: This research case control study consisted of 128 patients with major depressive disorder and 131 normal people. Data have been collected through TCI questionnaire and Hamilton scale for depression. Results: In patients with major depression the Harm-avoidance, Reward-dependence and persistence, Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness have significant differences with normal people. Patients with major depressive disorder experience high levels of Harm-avoidance and Reward-dependence and Persistence, with low levels of Self-directedness and Cooperativeness than normal people. Conclusion: The depressed patients and normal people are different with temperament and character, and these differences can influence severity of depression.

The link between personality dimensions and pain perception in patients with diabetes mellitus or cancer.

Background and aimsDiabetes mellitus and cancer are two diseases with a strong psychological impact. Personality traits modulate the perception of pain and the response to disease. The specificity of this study consists of the assessment of personality, pain and emotional impact in the two diseases.MethodThe study included 130 participants assigned to 3 groups: patients with diabetes mellitus, patients with cancer disease, and a control group. The personality traits of all the participants were analyzed using Cloninger’s Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). For the evaluation of pain, as well as associated anxiety and depression in the diabetes and cancer groups, the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used.ResultsPatients with diabetes mellitus and cancer disease had significantly higher total values on the Harm Avoidance scale (HA) (p<0.001) and lower total values on the Self-Directedness scale (SD), Reward Dependence scale (RD), Cooperativeness scale (CO) (p<0.001) compared to the control group. Major anxiety was predominant in patients with diabetes mellitus (34%), and major depression was prevalent in cancer patients (17.5%). Patients with diabetes mellitus obtained a significantly higher severity score at BPI scale than patients with cancer disease (p=0.03).ConclusionsThe existence of a mutual personality profile featuring high levels of Harm Avoidance and low levels of Self-Directedness in patients with diabetes mellitus and cancer who experience pain has great implications for the therapeutic approach. A potential future avenue of management in these diseases may lie in targeting particular personality aspects of chronic pain patients.

Development of Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness in Relation to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Trajectories After Military Deployment

Background Personality traits, such as the character traits self-directedness and cooperativeness, might play a role in the risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after deployment to a combat zone. However, it is unclear whether these traits are preexisting risk factors or if event-related changes might also be associated with PTSD symptoms over time. Therefore, the current aim was to assess if military deployment is associated with changes in cooperativeness and self-directedness and to study how these traits are related to PTSD symptom trajectories. Methods In a large cohort of military personnel (N = 1007), measurements were performed before, at one and six months, and two and five years after deployment to Afghanistan. Linear mixed-effect models were used to assess the individual change in the traits over time and to study the relation with potential predictors. Results Cooperativeness was found to remain stable, whereas self-directedness was found to slightly decrease over time. This decrease was related to the development of PTSD symptoms over time. Furthermore, lower levels of self-directedness were associated with the symptomatic trajectories of PTSD symptoms. Lower levels of cooperativeness were only associated with the recovered PTSD trajectory. Conclusions So, not only do the findings confirm that lower levels of these character traits are associated with the development of PTSD symptoms, it was also shown that there are differences in the relation between these traits and the course of PTSD symptoms. Studying methods to promote the levels of these character traits might help to improve the resiliency of military personnel.

Eating Disorders and Pathological Gambling in Males: Can They Be Differentiated by Means of Weight History and Temperament and Character Traits?

In the present study, we investigated whether binge/purge eating disorders (ED) and pathological gambling (PG) in males can be differentiated by means of weight history and temperament and character traits. We investigated 43 male ED patients, 46 pathological gamblers and 46 healthy controls (HC) by means of lifetime weight information and the Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R). The MANCOVA results showed that ED patients showed significantly more lifetime weight fluctuations compared with PG and HC after controlling for age. Additionally, both ED and PG patients showed significantly higher scores on Harm Avoidance and lower Self-Directedness compared with HC. Results of a multinomial logistic regression showed that ED versus HC membership was determined by more weight fluctuations and lower Self-Directedness; whereas ED versus PG membership was determined by more weight fluctuations. Finally, PG versus HC membership was characterized by more Harm Avoidance, Novelty Seeking, and Persistence, and less Self-directedness. Given that both patient groups were characterized by low levels of Self-Directedness (i.e., low levels of effortful or executive control), they can benefit from training in self-regulation; and in PG patients special attention needs to be given on the training of behavioral control in the presence of novel and rewarding stimuli.

Early maladaptive schemas, temperament and character traits in clinically depressed and previously depressed subjects

The Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) have been suggested as vulnerability markers for depression. One- hundred forty clinically depressed subjects(CD), previously depressed subjects(PD) and never depressed (ND) controls completed the YSQ, the TCI and the Beck Depression Inventory. Results showed that CD and PD differed significantly on early maladaptive schemas, temperament and character traits compared with ND. In accordance with previous research, higher levels of harm avoidance and lower levels of self-directedness were found in CD and in recovered PD. Moreover, CD and PD showed substantial variability in the scores on the YSQ and the TCI when controlling for concurrent depression severity. In multiple regression analyses, YSQ domain scales of disconnection, impaired autonomy, restricted self-expression and impaired limits emerged as significant predictors of depression severity. Likewise, as concerns TCI higher order scales, high harm avoidance, low self-directedness and high persistence emerged as significant predictors of depression severity. Harm avoidance was positively related to several early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), whereas self-directedness was negatively related to a majority of the EMSs. Our findings indicate the presence of maladaptive personality characteristics in CD and PD. Longitudinal studies are needed to establish their causal role in relation to first-onset and recurrent depression. *Early maladaptive schemas, high harm [correction made here after initial online publication] avoidance and low self-directedness may be a part of vulnerability to depression. *The finding of these personality characteristics in subjects recovered from depression indicates malfunctioning to some degree. *Addressing such characteristics in therapy should be considered in order to prevent and treat depression from its relapsing and recurring course.

Personality trait interactions in parents of patients with borderline personality disorder: A controlled study using the Temperament and Character Inventory

Family environment is a pathogenic factor of borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, the personality traits of patients with BPD and their parents have never been assessed using the same instrument and then examined for relationships. In the present study, we explored the temperament and character traits of BPD patients and their parents to investigate possible interactions. In total, 56 patients with BPD and their parents were evaluated with the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and compared with 53 control families. Discriminant and correlation analyses indicated that subjects with BPD displayed higher levels of novelty seeking, harm avoidance, and self-transcendence and lower levels of self-directedness than control subjects. Their fathers displayed higher levels of novelty seeking and lower levels of persistence and self-directedness, and their mothers displayed lower levels of self-directedness compared with levels in control parents. In BPD families, temperament and character traits displayed high levels of discriminatory power. Novelty seeking in offspring with borderline personality disorder was significantly correlated with their mothers' novelty seeking and their fathers' self-transcendence. Self-directedness in borderline offspring was significantly correlated with both their mothers' and fathers' novelty seeking, and their self-transcendence was significantly correlated with their mothers' novelty seeking and harm avoidance. The different correlational pattern for borderline and control families is discussed. Characteristic personality patterns were found in BPD offspring and in both parents. The relationship between personality traits of borderline offspring and those of their parents may be related to both genetic transmission and family dynamics. Ramifications for treatment are discussed.

Neuropsychological Characteristics and Personality Traits in Pathological Gambling

Pathological gambling disorder (PG) has been associated with fronto-temporal dysfunction and maladaptive personality traits, such as impulsivity and novelty seeking. The purpose of this study was to examine the predictive variance of neuropsychological and personality characteristics in PG. Persons with PG (n=25) and a comparison group (n=34) were administered a battery of neuropsychological tests, the Temperament and Character Inventory, and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Subjects with PG had evidence of fronto-temporal dysfunction as assessed by the Stroop, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test-64, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Letter-Number Sequencing, Controlled Oral Word Association Test, and Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination Animal Naming Test. Subjects with PG also had impaired decision making on the Iowa Gambling Task. PG subjects had elevated levels of impulsivity, novelty seeking, and harm avoidance, and lower levels of self-directedness and cooperativeness. Logistic regression analyses indicated that neuropsychological variables did not add significant incremental variance over personality traits in predicting PG (Block chi-square=5.19, P=.074), while personality variables added significant incremental variance over neuropsychological traits in predicting PG (Block chi-square=25.13, P<.001). These results suggest that personality traits are better predictors than neuropsychological characteristics of whether someone has PG.

Personality disorders and personality dimensions in anorexia nervosa.

Information on the relationship between anorexia nervosa (AN) and personality disorders (PDs) and dimensions of temperament and character (measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory [TCI; Cloninger, Przybeck Svrakic, & Wetzel, 1994]) is limited. This study examines the predictive validity of the TCI for PD diagnoses assessed by the International Personality Disorder Examination-ICD-10 (IPDE-ICD-10; Loranger, Janca, & Sartorius, 1997) interviews of 46 women with DSM-IV-defined AN. Patients with a PD reported higher levels of harm-avoidance and lower levels of self-directedness than those without a PD. Scores on the TCI were predictive of the number of PD features present, particularly for those PDs in the anankastic, anxious, and dependent groups accounting for 40% to 51% of the variance. Cluster analysis based on scores on the TCI identified a subgroup of patients characterized by low levels of novelty seeking, self-directedness, and cooperativeness and high levels of harm avoidance. This cluster included the majority of those with avoidant, anxious, or dependent PDs. Assessment of particular personality dimensions was able to predict PDs in an anorexic sample. Since normal personality dimensions have greater validity than the categorical PDs, a consideration of normal temperament and character may assist in clinical decisionmaking and considerations concerning treatment.