Personality traits as risk factors of depression and anxiety among Japanese students

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of personality (temperament and character) on specific depression and specific anxiety. A total of 541 Japanese undergraduates were investigated by using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses demonstrated that specific depression was predicted by lower Reward-Dependence, Persistence, Self-Directedness, Cooperativeness, and Self-Transcendence; specific anxiety was predicted by higher Novelty-Seeking, Harm-Avoidance, Persistence, and Self-Transcendence, and lower Self-Directedness. Immaturity of Self-Directedness is a risk factor for negative affectivity. Immaturity of all character dimensions is a risk factor for specific depression. The relationship between Harm-Avoidance and depression in previous studies may be linked partly to somatic symptoms that were deliberately eliminated in the HAD scale.     

Stability of attachment‐related anxiety and avoidance and their relationships with the five‐factor model and the psychobiological model of personality

Objectives. The stability of attachment‐related anxiety and avoidance and their relationship with influential personality models are issues worth further investigation. Studying discriminant validity with respect to aspects of personality deemed as prevalently heritable, such as temperament, is particularly important. Our aims were to examine the stability of attachment dimensions and to study their relationship with psychological distress, the Big Five factors, and temperament and character dimensions. Methods. The Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR) questionnaire, the State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Zung depression scale (ZDS), the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI‐125), and the Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ) were administered to 222 undergraduate and graduate students. After 1 month, 115 participants completed again the ECR, the STAI, and the ZDS. Results. Attachment‐related anxiety was modestly correlated with depression and anxiety, while attachment‐related avoidance was modestly correlated with depression. The test–retest reliability of ECR scores was high. Changes in attachment‐related anxiety were not related to changes in depression or anxiety, and changes in attachment‐related avoidance were modestly correlated with changes in depression. In separate multiple regression models also including gender and age, attachment‐related anxiety was correlated with harm avoidance, reward dependence, low novelty seeking, low self‐directedness and low cooperativeness; low energy/extraversion and low emotional stability; attachment‐related avoidance was correlated with low reward dependence and tended to be correlated with low self‐directedness. Conclusions. These findings corroborate the reliability and the convergent and discriminant validity of the ECR, and support the notion that the attachment dimensions are only modestly related to psychological distress and are not redundant with constructs developed within influential personality models such as the five‐factor model and the psychobiological model.     

Temperament and character inventory dimensions as a predictor of response to antidepressant treatment in major depression

BACKGROUND: Cloninger's theory of personality, including 4 temperament dimensions and 3 character dimensions, is one of the most noteworthy theories in recent years. Several studies have explored temperament dimensions as a predictor of response to antidepressant treatments in major depression, but these have provided inconsistent results. The present study explored temperament as well as character dimensions, as measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), as possible predictors of response to maprotiline, the most-widely prescribed antidepressant in Japan. METHODS: 86 consecutive patients with major depression underwent a 16-week open trial of maprotiline. They filled out the TCI at baseline, and were followed up at weeks 8 and 16 by using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. RESULTS: Hierarchial logistic regression analyses demonstrated that response to maprotiline was significantly predicted by the cooperativeness score at the 8-week outcome assessment, and by the self-directedness score at the 16-week outcome assessment, after controlling the possible effects of clinical variables on the response. There was no evidence that either temperament dimensions or their 2-way interactions significantly predicted the response. LIMITATIONS: Large replication studies with other antidepressants are needed for generalizing the results in this study. CONCLUSIONS: The results in this study regarding temperament dimensions seem consistent with findings in previous studies, which are, as a whole, inconsistent with each other. It is suggested that character dimensions (particularly cooperativeness and self-directedness), rather than temperament dimensions, may be important predictors of response to antidepressants. Antidepressants may differ in the personality configurations that predict optimal responses.     

Stability of alexithymia and its relationships with the 'big five' factors, temperament, character, and attachment style

BACKGROUND: Controversy still exists concerning the stability of the alexithymia construct. Also, although alexithymia has been found to be related in a theoretically meaningful way to other personality constructs such as the 'Big Five' factors, few studies have investigated its relationship with influential constructs such as temperament and character, and attachment security. METHODS: Two hundred twenty-one undergraduate and graduate students were administered the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Zung Depression Scale (ZDS), the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-125), the Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ), and the Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR) questionnaire. After 1 month, 115 participants completed again the TAS-20, STAI, and ZDS. RESULTS: Alexithymia was only moderately correlated with depression and anxiety. Both the absolute and relative stability of TAS-20 total and subscale scores was high, and a negligible portion of their change over time was accounted for by changes in depression or anxiety. In separate multiple regression models including also gender, age, depression and anxiety, TAS-20 total and subscale scores were correlated with low energy/extraversion, low emotional stability, openness, low friendliness/agreeableness; harm avoidance, low self-directedness, low cooperativeness, low reward dependence; attachment-related avoidance and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings lend support for both absolute and relative stability of alexithymia, corroborate an association between alexithymia and insecure attachment, and contribute to a coherent placing of alexithymia in the broader theoretical network of personality constructs.     

不育症女性患者焦虑、抑郁与个性特征关系的对照研究

目的：探讨不育妇女焦虑、抑郁与个性特征的关系.方法：采用艾森克个性问卷（EPQ）,抑郁自评量表（SDS）和特质焦虑问卷（STAI）对170名不育妇女进行问卷调查,同时选择正常育龄妇女88名作对照.结果：不育症妇女状态焦虑分与特质焦虑分明显高于对照组（P＜0.01）,不育症妇女SDS总分高于对照组（P＜0.01）,不育症妇女EPQ的N得分高于对照组（P＜0.01）.结论：不育症妇女存在焦虑、抑郁情绪及高神经质的人格特点.     

The effect of anxiety and depression scores of couples who underwent assisted reproductive techniques on the pregnancy outcomes

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the effect of anxiety and depression scores of couples who underwent Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) on pregnancy outcomes.MethodThis study was conducted as a prospective and comparative study with 217 couples. The study data was collected by using a semi-structured questionnaire and the Turkish version of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The questionnaire, STAI and BDI were applied to couples who initiated ART treatment. Couples'' state anxiety scores were re-evaluated after embryo transfer (ET).ResultsA significant relationship was found between the depression score of women and pregnancy outcome (p < 0.05). It was determined that anxiety scores for both men and women were higher before the ART procedure, but their anxiety scores decreased after ET (p < 0.05). Spouses of women with a negative pregnancy outcome had higher trait and state anxiety mean scores (p > 0.05) and lower depression scores (p <0.05) than spouses of women with a positive pregnancy outcome.ConclusionStudy results indicated that the anxiety and depression scores of couples who had achieved a positive pregnancy result were lower than for couples with a negative result. The results of this study will contribute to the health professionals especially to the nurses who spend the most time with couples in providing consulting services and supporting psychological status of couples during ART process in Turkey.     

High harm avoidance and low self-directedness in euthymic young adults with recurrent, early-onset depression

BACKGROUND: The personality dimensions of harm avoidance (HA) and self-directedness (SD), as measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), have been widely associated with depression and there is preliminary evidence that they may represent trait markers for depression. However, many studies in this area are limited by the use of heterogeneous samples of depressed patients and by the confounding effect of depressed mood during personality testing. The current study compares TCI personality dimension scores in a group of euthymic young adults with recurrent early-onset major depressive disorder (RE-MDD) to well-matched euthymic controls. METHODS: Fifty-two young adults with a past history of RE-MDD were recruited from consecutive referrals to a psychiatric clinic at a university health service. Eighty nine controls were also recruited. Euthymia was established in patients by a score of less than 9 on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) and in controls by a Becks Depression Inventory (BDI) score of less than 10. All participants completed the TCI-125. RESULTS: Patients and controls were well matched in terms of sociodemographic profile. Euthymic RE-MDD patients scored significantly higher than controls on the temperament dimension of harm avoidance (HA; mean score 14.5 versus 7.8, p<0.0001) and significantly lower than controls on the character dimension of self-directedness (SD; mean score 14.1 versus 19.9, p<0.0001). Covariance analysis suggested that both HA and SD contributed independently to the familial risk of depression. LIMITATIONS: Subjects and controls all came from relatively affluent social backgrounds-these findings may not generalise to more socioeconomically diverse populations. The possibility of a 'scarring effect' of depressive episodes on self-reported personality dimension scores cannot be excluded. CONCLUSIONS: High HA and low SD represent trait markers for liability to recurrent major depressive disorder in young adults. Further research is needed to replicate these findings and to assess the contribution that the experience of depressive episodes makes to self-reported personality dimension scores.     

护士焦虑、抑郁情绪问题与家庭功能的关系研究

目的 探讨护士的焦虑、抑郁情绪与家庭功能的相互关系.方法 用焦虑自评问卷(SAS)、抑郁自评问卷(SDS)和家庭功能评定量表(FAD)对某医院护士的焦虑、抑郁情绪和家庭功能进行调查.结果 焦虑、抑郁的总均分分别为(45.63±11.14,50.47±11.69),发生率分别为46.8％,45.3％;家庭功能与抑郁、焦虑...     

An Affect-Based,Hierarchical Model of Temperament and Its Relations With Internalizing Symptomatology

Examined the tripartite model of personality, which emphasizes negative affectivity (NA) and positive affectivity (PA) as central organizing dimensions of personality that are useful for discriminating psychopathologies. Conceptualizations of youth temperament also include second-order, organizing factors of negative emotionality/ neuroticism and positive emotionality/extroversion that may differentially predict psychopathologies. A community sample of 290 10- to 17-year-old youth completed the Emotionality, Activity, and Sociability Temperament Survey (EAS), Positive and Negative Affectivity Schedule, and measures of symptoms of anxiety and depression. Factor analysis replicated the 5-factor structure of the EAS and revealed 2 independent second-order factors, negative temperament (NT) and positive temperament (PT). NT and PT demonstrated convergent and discriminant relations with NA and PA. Consistent with the tripartite model, NT was associated with both anxiety and depression scores, but PT was related to depression scores only.     

Parental bonding: can obsessive symptoms and general distress be predicted by perceived rearing practices?

We investigated the relationship between obsessivity and reported parental rearing style (care and protection) in non‐ clinical subjects, controlling for anxiety and depression. One hundred and seventy subjects filled in four inventories: the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), the Padua Inventory Revised (PI‐R), the State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results showed a relationship between the STAI and the PBI, with high anxiety scores corresponding to low care and high protection. The same pattern was found for the BDI, with high depression scores corresponding to low care and overprotection. Concerning the PI‐R, we observed the absence of a significant relationship between parental care and protection and total obsessivity scores. A significant correlation was found for the ‘rumination’ subscale of the PI‐R, with high rumination scores corresponding to maternal overprotection and low parental care. Multiple regression analyses showed that there was no significant portion of variance unique to obsessive symptoms explained by parental rearing style. These results suggest that obsessivity is not linked to a specific parental rearing style, and that a poor parental bonding, especially regarding care, could constitute a general factor for emotional distress in adulthood, rather than acting as a precursor to a specific disorder. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

孕妇的焦虑抑郁情绪对照研究

怀孕是自然的生理过程,但也会出现心理和情绪变化。有作者报道焦虑和抑郁是孕妇在妊娠期间常见的症状或寻求心理咨询的主要原因[1-3]。Ａｆｆｏｎｓｏ等人报道孕妇在妊娠期间最常见的情绪有发怒、紧张担心、病理性焦虑。大约50%的孕妇有抑郁症状[4]。国内报道11%孕妇产前有焦虑或抑郁症状[5]。本文通过对照研究,了解孕妇在妊娠期的焦虑和抑郁情绪状态,报道如下。1　资料和方法1.1　对象　　随机选择1999年7月～8月间到中山医科大学附属第三院妇产科门诊就诊的孕妇,均为初孕妇。共52人。年龄20～37岁,平均27.96±3.04岁;大专以上教育程度26人…     

Personality variables in coping with the stress of a spouse's chronic illness

Identified systematically those spouses of male VA hemodialysis patients who are at risk for experiencing difficulties in adapting to their husband's chronic kidney failure and hemodialysis treatment. To this end, an exploration was made of personality variables that might enhance a spouse's ability to cope with the unique stress of living with chronic illness. Fifty-six wives of VA dialysis patients were administered the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (I-E), the Multidimensional Locus of Control Scale (MLC), the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLC), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Significant relationships were found between I-E scores and all measures of emotional adjustment (state anxiety, trait anxiety, and depression) for the entire sample of spouses in general, and also for a subgroup of home dialysis spouses who were analyzed separately. Results were discussed in terms of the role that locus of control orientation plays in mediating the stress of living with chronic illness, as well as the failure to find relationships between adjustment and the MLC or the area-specific MHLC.     

Temperament, character, and dissociation among detoxified male inpatients with alcohol dependency

The aim of this study was to determine possible relationships of pathological dissociation with temperament, character, and concurrent psychopathological features in a consecutive series of male alcohol-dependent patients. Fifty-eight patients with pathological dissociation were compared with 118 nondissociative patients classified by dissociative taxon membership. Beside higher scores on anxiety, depression, and alcoholism scales, a larger proportion of dissociative group reported childhood abuse, suicide attempts, and self-mutilation than did the nondissociative group. They also had higher scores of novelty seeking and harm avoidance, but lower scores of persistence, self-directedness, and cooperativeness. Trait anxiety, depression, and severity of alcoholism predicted dissociative experiences; however, none of the temperament or character measures did. Rather than being a derivative of temperament or character features, dissociative experiences of male alcohol-dependent patients are associated with overall concurrent psychopathology.     

1008例孕晚期妊娠妇女焦虑、抑郁情绪调查

目的了解孕晚期妊娠妇女焦虑、抑郁情绪的发生情况。方法采用状态-特质焦虑量表(STAI)、自评抑郁量表(SDS)以及自制的孕妇基本情况调查表,对1008名孕妇在孕32～34周时进行测试,并对结果进行分析。结果 1008名孕妇状态焦虑情绪发生率为20.3%,特质焦虑情绪发生率为5.9%,状态焦虑情绪评分明显高于国内正常人群(t=5.12,P<0.01);抑郁情绪发生率为23.7%,其中轻度抑郁发生率为18.5%,中度抑郁发生率为4.8%,重度抑郁发生率为0.5%。孕期状态焦虑、特质焦虑和抑郁情绪的发生率均以户籍孕妇最低,流动孕妇最高(χ2=15.65,7.07,28.19;P<0.01或<0.05)。结论孕期焦虑、抑郁情绪普遍存在。     

The relation of self-report of mood and anxiety to CVLT-C, CVLT, and CVLT-2 in a psychiatric sample.

The relation between mood and cognitive status has been examined extensively over the years suggesting a significant impact of mood and potentially anxiety on memory. This relation is of particular interest to practitioners conducting evaluations in settings that regularly treat individuals diagnosed with psychiatric disorders. With this in mind, the present study sought to evaluate the impact of self-report of depression and anxiety on the California Verbal Learning Test-children's version (CVLT-C), the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT), and the California Verbal Learning Test-2nd edition (CVLT-2) in a mixed psychiatric sample. Records from 107 patients aged 6-78 evaluated in an outpatient psychiatry unit were examined. Results indicated minimal predictive utility was provided from self-report symptoms of anxiety or depression on CVLT-C, CVLT, or CVLT-2: Trial 1, Trial 5, total score, Short Delay Free Recall, Short Delay Cued Recall, long delay free recall, or long delay cued recall performance above the variance predicted by age, gender, and Full Scale IQ. Additional variance predicted by depression as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Child Depression Inventory (CDI) or anxiety as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was less than 3.0% over that accounted for by the covariates for the great majority of measurements from the various CVLT versions. Exceptions included the CDI that tended to account for approximately 5.0% of the variance on all of the CVLT-C measures and the STAI that accounted for approximately 5.0-10.0% additional variance on the short and long delay measures of the CVLT-2. The present results suggest that performance on the various forms of the CVLT are minimally predicted by self-reported depression and anxiety in a psychiatric setting.     

完美主义对抑郁的影响及人格的调节作用

目的：考察完美主义在控制个体的焦虑水平后对抑郁的影响，并且探索该过程可能存在的调节变量。方法：使用由Frost多维完美主义问卷（FMPS），Beck抑郁问卷（BDI），人格形容词检测表（PACL）和自评焦虑问卷（SAS）N成的结构问卷对北京和西安共8所大学的407名本科生进行测量。结果：分层回归表明“行为迟疑”和“错误在意”两个消极完美主义维度在控制焦虑水平后对抑郁有显著的预测作用；“合作性”人格在“条理组织”对抑郁的影响过程中有显著的调节作用。结论：完美主义各维度对抑郁有不同的影响，干预时应结合个体自身特点区别对待。     

某进藏工作团体状态-特质焦虑、抑郁状况调查

目的 研究从低海拔地区进入高海拔地区工作人群的状态-特质焦虑、抑郁特点.方法 采用抑郁自评量表(SDS)和采用状态-特质焦虑问卷(STAI),对某进高原工作的团体111名人员进行团体测评,将抑郁、焦虑得分与一般人群比较;以性别、年龄、海拔和进入高原次数进行分组,采用t检验、单因素方差分析进行组间比较.结果 ①进藏工作团...     

Depression, anxiety and personality dimensions in female first-degree relatives of alcohol-dependent probands

A total of 136 with or without first-degree relatives with alcohol dependence were compared according to lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders and personality dimensions. Family history positive women showed significant higher prevalence rates of depression and agoraphobia, and exhibited lower scores on Reward Dependence, Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness dimensions.     

Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) as predictors of depression among Japanese college students

To examine the predictive power of Cloninger's psychobiology model of depression, 167 Japanese college students were studied on two occasions, with an interval of approximately three months. At Time 1 (T1), the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) were distributed. At Time 2 (T2), the SDS was distributed again. The T2 SDS score was positively correlated with Harm Avoidance and negatively correlated with Reward Dependence and Self-directedness at T1. However, after controlling for the T1 SDS score, the T2 SDS score was predicted only by T1 Self-directedness. These data suggest that lower Self-directedness can be predictive of depression, whereas higher Harm Avoidance and lower Reward Dependence are state-dependent.