Temperament And Character Inventory Research Articles

Psychiatric comorbidity and temperament-character traits of the patients with lichen simplex chronicus: The relation with the symptom severity of the disease.

The aim of this study is to evaluate psychiatric comorbidity, temperament and character traits, depression and anxiety levels, and their relation with symptom severity in patients with lichen simplex chronicus (LSC). About 50 patients with LSC were enrolled in the study along with 49 controls. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5), Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were administered to all subjects for psychiatric assessment. Skindex-16 symptom scale was performed for assessing the symptom severity of LSC. LSC group were showing an incidence of 62% in terms of psychiatric comorbidity and 14% of them had two psychiatric diagnoses. The most common psychiatric disorders were major depressive disorder (32%), dysthymia (18%), and generalized anxiety disorder (12%). LSC group had significantly higher mean BDI (18.60 ± 11.77 vs 7.40 ± 4.90) and BAI scores (18.56 ± 13.75 vs 5.18 ± 5.34) than the control group. Patients with LSC displayed higher scores in Harm Avoidance Dimension (19.74 ± 5.18 vs 15.00 ± 5.13) of temperament and regarding character dimensions, they had lower scores in self-directedness (25.52 ± 6.69 vs 29.51 ± 5.54). When analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed while BDI and BAI scores were taken as covariates cooperativeness became significantly higher in the LSC group. Patients with LSC had a high incidence of psychiatric comorbidity, significantly higher depression and anxiety levels, and differed from control group in terms of TCI profile and these conditions were related to symptom severity of the LSC. Comorbid psychiatric conditions and personality traits should be considered as crucial factors for the effective treatment of LSC.

Obsesif kompulsif bozukluk hastalarında mizaç, karakter özellikleri ve aleksitimi

Introduction: Alexithymia levels have generally been found high in patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). It is thought that there is a correlation between alexithymia and the severity of OCD symptoms. One of the factors influencing alexithymia is temperament-character traits. In this study, it was aimed to investigate the temperament-character traits in OCD patients and the correlation of these traits with alexithymia. Methods: This study included 43 OCD patients who applied to Atatürk University Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic and 33 healthy individuals as the control group. Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-IV), Sociodemographic and clinical data form, and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) were applied to participants whereas Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) was additionally applied to the patient group.Results: No difference was detected between both groups in terms of age and gender. In the OCD group, harm avoidance (HA) and self-transcendence (ST) scores were found high, and self-directedness (SD), cooperativeness (C) and novelty seeking (NS) were found low when compared to the control group. In the OCD group, difficulty in expressing feelings (TAS-B), extroverted thinking (TAS-C) and TAS-20 scores were found to be higher than the control group. In the alexithymic OCD group, the mean disorderliness and persistence(P) scores were found to be lower compared to the non-alexithymic group. A positive correlation was discovered between Y-BOCS scores and TAS-C scores in OCD patients.Conclusion: Alexithymia is observed at a high rate in OCD. The extroverted thinking sub-dimension of alexithymia is correlated with the severity of OCD symptoms. Some temperament-personality traits differ in alexithymic-OCD patients compared to those who are not alexithymic. The evaluation of alexithymia and the factors influencing alexithymia has the potential to offer a new approach to understand the etiology and treatment of OCD.

Mu-Opioid Receptor Polymorphism Moderates Sensitivity to Parental Behaviors During Characterization of Personality Traits.

PurposeAttachment research shows that attachment experiences with parents in childhood influence the characterization of personality traits. Meanwhile, it is known that mu-opioid receptor function is involved in human attachment. Furthermore, a few studies suggest that the A118G polymorphism of the mu-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) is associated with altered mu-opioid receptor function. Thus, we examined if the OPRM1 polymorphism moderates the sensitivity to parental behaviors and thereby contributes to the characterization of personality traits.Materials and MethodsParticipants were 725 healthy Japanese. Parenting practices of their parents were evaluated by the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI) with the care and protection subscales. Personality was evaluated using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). The OPRM1 A118G polymorphism was detected by a PCR method.ResultsMultiple regression analyses revealed significant effects of the interaction between the OPRM1 genotype and maternal protection on scores of the self-directedness and cooperativeness dimensions, while significant main effects of the OPRM1 genotype on scores of the TCI were not found. Further analyses showed that there were significant negative correlations between maternal protection scores and the two dimensional scores in the A/A and A/G genotypes with higher correlation coefficients in the former, but not in the G/G genotype.ConclusionThe present study suggests that the OPRM1 polymorphism contributes to the characterization of personality traits by moderating the sensitivity to parental behaviors, especially maternal protection.

The impact of COMT, BDNF and 5-HTT brain-genes on the development of anorexia nervosa: a systematic review.

The genetic aspect of anorexia nervosa (AN) involving specific genes of the central-nervous-system has not yet been clearly understood. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the impact of three candidate genes of the brain: catechol-O-methyltransferase, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and serotonin transporter protein, on the susceptibility to AN and identify whether a clear connection persists between each of the gene-polymorphisms and AN. A total of 21 articles were selected for this review conforming to the PRISMA guidelines. Detailed keyword combinations were implemented within specific databases such as MEDLINE, SCIENCEDIRECT and PUBMED. The catechol-O-methyltransferase gene-polymorphism did not show any change in phenotypic variation between AN and control subjects; but the familial association was rather strong with an over-transmission of the H allele. The latter also correlated with several dimensions of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) scale. A notable relation was indicated between BDNF gene-polymorphism and anorexia-restrictive in terms of phenotypic distribution; the Met66-allele also depicted high association with anorexic behavioral traits. The 5-HTTLPR gene-polymorphism was found to be significantly associated with AN susceptibility with an over-transmission of the S-allele from parents to offspring. The systematic review distinctively emphasized the genetic contribution of the brain-genes on the development of AN. Despite significant study findings, no clear and standardized genetic route was determined to be the cause of AN development. Future research is needed on these specific genes to closely monitor the genetic polymorphisms and their mechanism on AN susceptibility. I, systematic review.

Decision-Making, Impulsiveness and Temperamental Traits in Eating Disorders.

ObjectiveTo explore decision-making, impulsiveness and temperamental traits in patients suffering from eating disorders (EDs), as compared with healthy controls (HC).MethodFifty-one patients affected by ED (fourteen with anorexia restricting subtype, AN-R; fourteen with bulimia, BN; thirteen with anorexia bingeing/purging subtype, AN-BP; ten with binge-eating disorder, BED) and twenty-eight HC. The patients, recruited at the Section of Psychiatry of the University of Pisa (Italy, were evaluated with a battery of neuropsychological questionnaires, including the IOWA Gambling Task (IGT), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D).ResultsThe results indicated that AN-R, AN-BP and BN patients showed poorer IGT performances than HC (p < .05), while BED performances were similar to those of HC. IGT scores suggested the existence of similarities in decision-making performances of AN-BP and BN patients, as they performed differently from HC starting from block 3 (F(16.2)=1.7). In addition, differences between AN-BP/BN and AN-R patients were detected, given that they performed differently starting from block 4. As far as BIS-11 is concerned, AN-BP and BN patients reached the highest BIS total scores, when compared with the other groups. Further, they shared similar temperamental and impulsiveness profiles, as demonstrated by their BIS-11 ‘motor impulsiveness’ scores, and by their TCI ‘novelty seeking’, ‘reward dependence’ and ‘persistence’ dimensions. The post-hoc analyses revealed that both AN groups (namely, AN-R and AN-BP) scored significantly lower than HC on the FAB. No patients fulfilled the criteria for the diagnosis of a current major depression.ConclusionsDecision-making deficits are common in EDs. In AN-R these seem related to cognitive styles, while in AN-BP and BN patients with temperament features and impulsiveness traits.

Evaluation of temperament and character traits of patients with severe acne.

Acne vulgaris (AV) is an inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit. The relationship between personality and acne development has not been fully explained, and to the best of our knowledge, there are a limited number of studies in the literature evaluating temperament and character traits of individuals with acne. The aim of this study is to evaluate temperament-character traits of individuals with severe acne and to compare them with healthy controls. This study was conducted on 51 patients who admitted to the dermatology outpatient clinic with complaint of acne and were diagnosed with severe AV and 47 healthy individuals, as a control group. All individuals included in the study participated voluntarily. The forms including sociodemographic data, clinical information, and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) scores were applied to the patient and control groups. The scores of scales/subscales of exploration (NS1), persistence (P), responsibility (S1), purposefulness (S2), resourcefulness (S3), self-acceptance (S4), enlightened 2nd nature (S5), self-directedness (S), integrated conscience (C5), and cooperativeness (C) were statistically significantly lower, and the scores of scales/subscales of worry and pessimism (HA1), fear of uncertainty (HA2), shyness (HA3), fatiguability (HA4), and harm avoidance (HA) were statistically significantly higher in the patient group, in comparison with the control group. When we evaluated the patients with severe acne in terms of temperament and character features, we concluded that individuals' feeling of discomfort about their appearance may cause them to be less sociable, more anxious, and to have low resourcefulness and virtues.

The Yin-Yang personality from biopsychological perspective using revised Sasang Personality Questionnaire

BackgroundThe biopsychological, pathological and physical characteristics of Yin-Yang (Eum-Yang in Korean) have been suggested using Sasang Personality Questionnaire (SPQ), however, the revision of SPQ is required for escalating its clinical use and multidimensional study on Yin-Yang. Methods274 university students were recruited to complete the SPQ, candidate items of revised SPQ (rSPQ) along with the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). After selecting rSPQ items using Item Analysis and Explorative Factor Analysis, its psychometric property was examined using Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Pearson’s correlation and t-test. The biopsychological features of Yin and Yang personality groups based on rSPQ total score were illustrated with the TCI using ANOVA and Profile Analysis. ResultsThe behavior, cognition and emotion subscales of 15-item rSPQ had robust psychometric construct and showed distinctive psychological characteristics of Yin-Yang. The rSPQ-total score was correlated positively with SPQ-total (r = 0.644, p < 0.01) and TCI Novelty-Seeking (r = 0.398, p < 0.01), and negatively with TCI Harm-Avoidance (r = −0.364, p < 0.01). And, the Yin personality group (34.45 ± 10.36 and 46.82 ± 12.27) has significantly different scores in Novelty-Seeking and Harm-Avoidance compared to Yang personality group (43.2 ± 9.1 and 36.53 ± 10.78). Yin and Yang personality groups showed distinctive TCI subscale profiles as shown in previous studies. ConclusionThe current study showed the organized subscale structure and clinical validity of rSPQ for Yin-Yang personality, and it would provide foundation for East-West cross-cultural psychology and integrative medicine.

Serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) variation and sensory processing sensitivity-Comparison with other anxiety-related temperamental dimensions.

BackgroundThe short (s) allele of the 5‐HTTLPR polymorphism in the promoter region of the human serotonin transporter (5‐HTT) gene SLC6A4 has previously been associated with anxiety‐related personality dimensions. However, this relationship has not been confirmed in all studies and may be modified by environmental circumstances and/or psychiatric illness. This study examined whether the temperamental trait sensory processing sensitivity (SPS), characterized by increased responsivity to environmental stimuli, is related to 5‐HTTLPR/rs25531 genotype.Methods5‐HTTLPR and rs25531 genotypes, level of SPS, self‐reported Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO‐PI‐R) and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) personality profiles, and symptoms of psychological distress (SCL‐90R Global Severity Index) were determined for 405 healthy volunteers.ResultsSensory processing sensitivity was highly correlated with the anxiety‐related dimensions of the NEO‐PI‐R and the TCI models of personality, Neuroticism, and Harm Avoidance, respectively. However, the level of SPS was not associated with the combined 5‐HTTLPR and rs25531 s′/s′ genotype. Neuroticism and Harm Avoidance were also not associated with 5‐HTTLPR/rs25531 s′/s′ genotype. Correcting for symptoms of psychological distress had no effect on the relationships between personality and genotype.ConclusionThe level of SPS was not associated with serotonin transporter gene variation. Further, combined 5‐HTTLPR and rs25531 genotype was not associated with other anxiety‐related dimensions.

44 - Temperament and character in patients with acute abdominal pain

Abstract Background Several conditions presenting with abdominal pain are associated with specific personality factors although it is unclear if this is true also in emergency clinic settings. Objective To study personality factors among patients with acute abdominal pain in an emergency ward. Methods Consecutive patients (N = 165) with abdominal symptoms at an emergency clinic were administrated the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Three main groups were identified; specific abdominal diagnoses, (N = 77), non-specific abdominal pain, (N = 67) and organic dyspepsia (N = 21). TCI results were compared between clinical groups and a control group (N = 122). Results As compared to individuals with specific abdominal diagnoses and controls, those with organic dyspepsia were significantly more anxious (harm avoidance), (p = 0.003), and had lower ability to cooperate (cooperativeness) (p = 0.048 and p = 0.004 respectively). They were also significantly more unpretentious (self-transcendence) compared to individuals with specific abdominal diagnoses (p = 0.048), non-specific abdominal pain (p = 0.012) and controls (p = 0.004) and evidenced less mature character (sum of self-directedness and cooperativeness) compared to those with specific abdominal diagnoses and controls (p = 0.003). Conclusion Individuals seeking care at an emergency clinic with organic dyspepsia showed a distinguishable pattern of personality features that distinguished them from the other comparison groups. Therefore an evaluation of personality factors may add a new dimension to the diagnostic investigation in the emergency care of abdominal pain and contribute to the optimization of the treatment of organic dyspepsia.

M65. INTERPLAY OF TRAIT RESILIENCE WITH NEUROCOGNITIVE FUNCTIONING AND PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS IN YOUNG PEOPLE WITH PUTATIVE ‘AT RISK MENTAL STATE’

BackgroundIn the last decades psychological resilience has been increasingly recognized as a relevant area of research and clinical intervention in mental health. However, in the field of “at risk mental states” this topic remains underexplored. Limited studies involving individuals with ‘at risk mental state’ have demonstrated that they have lower levels of resilience than healthy controls, and that baseline resilience is lower among those who convert to frank psychosis than among those who do not. What is more, at risk individuals are characterized by a wide range of cognitive impairments, including general intelligence, executive function, verbal and visual memory, verbal fluency, attention, working memory, processing speed and social cognition. Recently, it has also been shown that a great majority of at-risk individuals have personality disorders, mainly depressive, borderline or schizotypal type.MethodsNinety-three young adults were administered a neurocognitive battery assessing attention, processing speed, verbal learning, working memory and verbal fluency along with Cloninger’s Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), a self-report measure of psychological resilience (CD-RISC 10) and a semi-structured interview assessing at-risk mental state (CAARMS). We performed a two-step regression analysis. In the first model the results of cognitive tests were included as predictors of resilience, in the second model we added personality and temperamental traits to the significant cognitive predictors from the first model.ResultsThe first model demonstrated that verbal fluency (b*=0.25, p=0.033), digit coding score (b*=-0.27, p=0.039), TMT version B performance time (b*=-0.33, p<0.005), and D2 test total score (b*=-0.32, p<0.005) were all significant predictors of resilience. In the second model all of them except for D2 test total score, remain significant along with Self-directedness (b*=0.33, p<0.001) and Reward dependence (b*=0.22, p=0.022) subscales of TCI. What is more, resilience has proven to be a predictor of the positive symptoms subscale in CAARMS (b=-0.21, p=0,047).DiscussionThe obtained results indicate that resilience is associated with both neurocognitive functioning and personality traits, although significant standardized beta scores are not high (they range from 0.21 to 0.33) in this sample. Generally, they are consistent with previous findings that more resilient people are more ‘cognitively dexterous’ than those who are more prone to stress and adversity. However, an interesting findings of our study is the negative beta coefficients for digit symbol coding and D2 total score with resilience, which suggests that more resilient individuals do not necessarily “do their best” on cognitive testing. The result can also be examined from the point of view of the relationship between resilience and reward dependence demonstrated in this study. Perhaps the more resilient participants were aware that they would receive a reward (cash voucher) for participating in the study anyway, so they were not motivated enough to complete the task at their utmost. Nontheless, these results stimulate the reflection on the definition of resilience that still remain equivocal and polysemic.

Severity of self-reported depressive symptoms in a healthy sample is modulated by trait Harm Avoidance, not by 5-HTTLPR polymorphism

Background: The length of the serotonin transporter polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) has been suggested to be associated with risk for developing depression, though with inconsistent evidence. Likewise, the personality trait Harm Avoidance (HA) has been linked to vulnerability for developing depression. However, no study has investigated whether there is an interaction effect between 5-HTTLPR and trait HA on depressive symptoms in healthy individuals.Methods: A total of 319 healthy individuals were included in this cross-sectional study. All participants were genotyped for the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and completed self-reported measures of personality trait HA with the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), and of depression with the Major Depression Inventory (MDI). Linear regression analyses were used to test interaction effects between 5-HTTLPR and HA on MDI. Post hoc analyses were further performed to investigate main effects of HA and possible interaction effects between 5-HTTLPR and HA sub-scales on MDI.Results: No significant interaction effect between 5-HTTLPR and HA on MDI was found. A significant main effect of trait HA on MDI was found, indicating that personality trait HA is a viable vulnerability factor for even sub-clinical depressive symptoms.Conclusion: This study finds a strong significant relationship between HA and MDI. Moreover, the present study supports the line of research indicating that candidate gene-by-interactions does not increase vulnerability for developing depression even at a sub-clinical level.

Importance of the Habenula for Avoidance Learning Including Contextual Cues in the Human Brain: A Preliminary fMRI Study.

Human habenula studies are gradually advancing, primarily through the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis of passive (Pavlovian) conditioning tasks as well as probabilistic reinforcement learning tasks. However, no studies have particularly targeted aversive prediction errors, despite the essential importance for the habenula in the field. Complicated learned strategies including contextual contents are involved in making aversive prediction errors during the learning process. Therefore, we examined habenula activation during a contextual learning task. We performed fMRI on a group of 19 healthy controls. We assessed the manually traced habenula during negative outcomes during the contextual learning task. The Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II), the State-Trait-Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) were also administered. The left and right habenula were activated during aversive outcomes and the activation was associated with aversive prediction errors. There was also a positive correlation between TCI reward dependence scores and habenula activation. Furthermore, dynamic causal modeling (DCM) analyses demonstrated the left and right habenula to the left and right hippocampus connections during the presentation of contextual stimuli. These findings serve to highlight the neural mechanisms that may be relevant to understanding the broader relationship between the habenula and learning processes.

More Purpose in Life and Less Novelty Seeking Predict Improvements in Self-Compassion During a Mindfulness-Based Intervention: The EXMIND Study.

ObjectivesRecently, a 4-week mindfulness-based intervention followed by a 4-week existential approach was found to be as effective for increasing self-compassion as an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention. The purpose of the present study was to identify the factors that predicted change in self-compassion during the 8-week mindfulness-based intervention.MethodsFifty-seven of the 61 completers of the 8-week mindfulness-based intervention provided baseline, 4-week, and 8-week self-compassion scale scores. The mean age of the 47 females and 10 males was 49.6 years. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were generated on the associations between the change of total self-compassion scale scores from baseline to 8 weeks with age; gender; and the baseline scores on the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa and San Diego Auto-questionnaire, Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Mini-Mental State Examination, Japanese Adult Reading Test, Young Mania Rating Scale, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, Parental Bonding Instrument, and purpose in life (PIL). Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of the change in total self-compassion scale scores.ResultsNovelty seeking (TCI) was significantly and negatively associated with the change in total self-compassion scale scores, whereas the PIL scores were significantly and positively associated with the change in total self-compassion scale scores. Novelty seeking was not significantly associated with baseline, 4-week, or 8-week total self-compassion scale scores, whereas the PIL scores were significantly and positively associated with baseline, 4-week, and 8-week total self-compassion scale scores. The limitation of the present study was a relatively small number of subjects which deterred a more sophisticated analysis of the pathways involved.ConclusionsThe present findings suggest that more PIL and less novelty seeking predict improvements in self-compassion during mindfulness-based interventions, although novelty seeking might substantially predict the improvement but self-compassion scale and PIL might somewhat conceptually overlap.

Cognitive failure susceptibility and personality: Self-directedness predicts everyday cognitive failure

Susceptibility to everyday cognitive failure is often assessed in clinical and vocational settings to estimate the effectiveness of interventions or to predict performance and performance decline in stressful situations. Comparatively little is known about the relationship between cognitive failure susceptibility as quantified by the Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ) and personality factors. We examined the relationships between the CFQ and the seven personality dimensions as assessed by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Through regression analyses with out-of-sample prediction in two samples, we explained around 18% of the variance in cognitive failure from personality scores. We established the character trait self-directedness as the main inversely related predictor of everyday cognitive failure. High cognitive failure thus seems to reflect low levels of self-confidence, self-acceptance, and responsibility for one's own actions which are the key aspects of self-directedness. This result provides evidence for the previously stated ‘complaint’ hypothesis that cognitive failure results from a poor self-image rather than a vulnerability to stress.

Comparison of Personality Traits among Patients with Psoriasis, Atopic Dermatitis, and Stress: A Pilot Study

Background: Psoriasis and atopic dermatitis are chronic skin diseases that greatly affect the quality of life. Both diseases can be triggered or exacerbated by stress. Objective: We aimed to differentiate personality traits between patients with chronic skin conditions and people treated for stress in a pilot study. Methods: Patients participating voluntarily in educational programs in Belgium and Switzerland were recruited to complete personality trait questionnaires, including the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ). A comparison was made with patients treated for work-related stress. Results: A total of 48 and 91 patients suffering from skin diseases and work-related stress, respectively, were included in the study. Based on the questionnaires, we found that dermatology patients were less persistent and impulsive than those with work-related stress. Dermatology patients also exhibited more rigidness and less focus on performance. Finally, patients with work-related stress seem more likely to change in response to health-promoting programs than patients with chronic dermatoses. Conclusion: Patients with chronic skin diseases may perceive and cope with stress differently in comparison to patients with work-related stress due to inherent personality traits. Therefore, stress coping mechanisms may differ among different diseases. More research is needed into the design of educational interventions and the impact of personality traits in disease-specific groups.

Somatic complaints in early adulthood predict the developmental course of compassion into middle age

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to investigate (i) whether somatic complaints predict the developmental course of compassion in adulthood, and (ii) whether this association depends on alexithymic features. MethodsThe participants came from the population-based Young Finns study (N = 471–1037). Somatic complaints (headache, stomachache, chest pain, backache, fatigue, exhaustion, dizziness, heartburn, heartbeat, and tension) were evaluated with a self-rating questionnaire in 1986 when participants were aged between 18 and 24 years. Compassion was assessed with the Compassion Scale of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in 1997, 2001, and 2012. The data were analyzed using growth curve models. ResultsWe obtained a significant compassion-age interaction (B = -0.137, p = .02) and a compassion-age squared interaction (B = 0.007, p = .006), when predicting the course of somatic complaints. Specifically, in participants without frequent somatic complaints, compassion steadily increased with age in adulthood. In participants with frequent somatic complaints, however, compassion remained at a lower level until the age of 40 years, then started to increase, and achieved the normal level of compassion approximately at the age of 50 years. The association between somatic complaints and compassion over age was found to be independent of alexithymic features. The analyses were adjusted for a variety of covariates (age, gender, use of health care in childhood, depression in childhood, parental socioeconomic factors, parental care-giving practices, stressful life events, parental alcohol intoxication, and participants' socioeconomic factors in adulthood). ConclusionFrequent somatic complaints may predict delayed development of compassion in adulthood. This association was found to be independent of alexithymic features.

Premorbid functional reserve modulates the effect of rehabilitation in multiple sclerosis.

Premorbid physically and intellectually enriching lifestyles have increasingly been recognized as able to mitigate the risk of disease-related disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). To explore if premorbid physical activity, cognitive reserve and trait personality act as proxies for functional reserve that contributes to rehabilitation outcome. We recruited all patients previously enrolled in two pilot trials investigating the effect of home-based video game training in improving balance (Study 1) and attention (Study 2) for additional assessments with the Historical Leisure Activity Questionnaire (HLAQ; a proxy for premorbid physical activity), Cognitive Reserve Index Questionnaire (CRIQ), and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Hierarchical logistic regression (HLR) analyses tested the association of HLAQ, CRIQ, and TCI with training effect on balance (static posturography) and on attention (Symbol Digit Modalities Test). We identified 94% (34/36) and 74% (26/35) of patients participating at the original Study 1 and Study2, respectively. HLR analyses showed an exclusive "intra-modal" modulation of rehabilitation outcome by functional reserve, given that (1) larger training effect on balance was associated with higher HLAQ (OR = 2.03, p= 0.031); (2) larger training effect on attention was associated with higher CRIQ (OR = 1.27, p= 0.033). Furthermore, we found specific personality traits associated with (1) greater training effect on balance (self-directedness; OR = 1.40, p= 0.051) and lower training effect on attention (harm avoidance; OR = 0.66, p= 0.075). We hypothesize that premorbid physical and intellectual activities not only act as a buffer for limiting the MS-related damage but also as functional reserve that can be retrieved by task-oriented training to promote recovery through rehabilitation.

Personality in Combination with Alcohol and Drug Use and Psychiatric Disorders to Predict Psychosocial Characteristics and Behaviors of Hepatitis C Patients.

The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of personality disorders and to examine personality as a predictor of psychosocial characteristics and behaviors of HCV patients. HCV patients (n = 259) from three infectious disease and liver clinics who completed Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), an inventory for personality traits, were included in the study. Patients with low scale scores in the character dimension of both cooperativeness and self-directedness (low CO/SD) were defined as having a personality disorder. Using low CO/SD in combination with demographic, psychiatric/substance use, and HCV-related variables, linear regression was used to construct separate models of risky behaviors, quality of life, functioning, burden of illness, and social support. The prevalence of low CO/SD was high in this sample of HCV patients. Low CO/SD was an independent predictor of risky behaviors, quality of life, functioning, and social support.

A close look at anesthetists personality construct: Cloninger's personality dimensions in a sample of specialist anesthetists, trainee anesthetists, and nurse anesthetists

Background: Anesthesiology is one of the most distressing specialities of medicine. Personality construct plays a crucial role in how one copes with profession-related stress. In this current study, the personality profiles of specialist anesthetists, trainee anesthetists, and nurse anesthetists were examined using the Turkish version of the temperament and character inventory (TCI). Materials and Methods: This study included 135 specialist anesthetists, trainee anesthetists, and nurse anesthetists. They were administered the Turkish TCI, Beck's depression inventory, and the Beck anxiety inventory. Results: Harm avoidance (HA), exploratory excitability, disorderliness, anticipatory worry, and fatigability scores of the three kinds of anesthesia providers were significantly lower than Turkish normative values for the general population, yet congruent second nature scores were significantly higher. Self-directedness (SD), reward dependence (RD), and persistence (P) scores were significantly lower than American normative values; however, HA scores were significantly higher. Between-group analysis showed statistically significant differences in five areas: novelty Seeking, HA, SD, RD, and persistence. On the other hand, no significant differences were found between depression and anxiety scores, although both were higher for trainee anesthetists in their first 2 years of training and for nurse anesthetists who had been working in the field for >10 years. Conclusion: This pioneering study using Cloninger's TCI provides a comprehensive personality assessment that may have implications for recruitment, crisis management, and professional development during anesthesiology residency training and also within the anaesthesiology practice.

Personality Traits as Markers of Psychosis Risk in Kenya: Assessment of Temperament and Character.

Specific personality traits have been proposed as a schizophrenia-related endophenotype and confirmed in siblings at risk for psychosis. The relationship of temperament and character with psychosis has not been previously investigated in Africa. The study was conducted in Kenya, and involved participants at clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis (n = 268) and controls (n = 251), aged 15–25 years. CHR status was estimated using the Structured Interview of Psychosis-Risk Syndromes (SIPS) and the Washington Early Psychosis Center Affectivity and Psychosis (WERCAP) Screen. Student’s t-tests were used to assess group differences on the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Neurocognitive functioning, stress severity, and substance use were correlated with the TCI, correcting for psychosis severity. CHR participants were more impulsive (ie, higher novelty seeking [NS]) and asocial (ie, lower reward dependence) than controls. They were also more schizotypal (ie, high self-transcendence [ST] and lower self-directedness [SD] and cooperativeness [CO] than controls). CO was related to logical reasoning, abstraction, and verbal memory. Stress severity correlated with high HA and schizotypal character traits. Lifetime tobacco use was related to NS, and lifetime marijuana use to high NS, low SD and high ST. Temperament and character of Kenyan CHR youth is similar to that observed in schizophrenia. Psychosis risk in Kenya is associated with impulsive, asocial, and schizotypal traits. CHR adolescents and young adults with schizophrenia-specific personality traits may be most at risk for developing a psychotic disorder and to require early intervention to improve outcomes.