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The theory of creativity and exploratory search developed by Simon, March, and their followers in the Carnegie school relies on a coolly cognitive account of motivation. We argue that a more robust theory would give affect greater prominence. Our approach is inspired by Dewey's (2002 Human Nature and Conduct. Prometheus: Amherst, MA) analysis of the three components of human conduct—habit, intelligence, and impulse, where impulse is Dewey's term for affect. The Carnegie approach incorporates the first two, but has little to say about the third. We review literature on affect in psychology, psychodynamics, and neurobiology, showing how it allows us to characterize more effectively the motivational underpinnings of individual creativity and collective creative projects. This in turn enables us to sketch the key role of affect in exploratory search as compared to other domains of organizational activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In order to resolve the equivocal relationship between anxious temperament rated by the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego‐Autoquestionnaire (TEMPS‐A) and harm avoidance rated by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), the present study aimed to investigate whether the anxious temperament scale and the harm avoidance scale are significantly associated with adjustment of relevant factors. Our hypothesis was that anxious temperament might be associated with harm avoidance. Methods: From the database of our previous studies, the data of 111 healthy subjects who had both TCI and TEMPS‐A scores were extracted for the present study. Two multiple regression analyses were performed: one to predict variance in anxious temperament scores without and with harm avoidance scores, and relevant factors; and another to predict variance in harm avoidance scores without and with anxious temperament scores, and relevant factors. Results: Anxious temperament was significantly and positively associated with depressive temperament, irritable temperament, and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression whereas harm avoidance was significantly and negatively associated with hyperthymic temperament, novelty seeking, persistence, and self‐directedness, although both were significantly and positively associated with each other. Conclusion: These findings support our hypothesis and suggest that anxious temperament may have ‘depressive proneness’ whereas harm avoidance may have ‘passive proneness.’ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of the study were (a) to establish norms for the Swedish child self-report and caregiver rating versions of the Junior and Temperament Character Inventory (JTCI) among young adolescents, (b) to investigate its psychometric properties, and (c) to investigate congruence between children's self-reports and caregivers' ratings of a child's personality. The sample was a general population of 1,046 children ages 12-14 years and 654 caregivers. The JTCI was found to be reliable on all dimensions except Persistence in the child self-report version. Caregivers rated their own children's personalities as more mature than did the children themselves. Caregivers especially overestimated their daughters' self-reported capabilities for self-acceptance and self-efficacy and might have underestimated their daughters' need for emotional support. This highlights the importance of including the child's self-report on personality in both research and clinical assessments. The results also support the importance of age- and gender-separated norms. (PsycINFO Database Record [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloninger's psychobiological model of personality integrates contributions from behavioral genetics, neurobiology, and psychology in the description of the human personality. The temperament and character inventory (TCI) is its assessment instrument. The Brazilian Portuguese version of the TCI has shown good psychometric properties. However, Portuguese spoken in Brazil presents marked and substantial differences to that spoken in Portugal, and no study has yet described the psychometrics of the European Portuguese version. The objective of this study was thus to describe the psychometric properties of the European Portuguese adult version of the TCI (the temperament and character inventory-revised (TCI-R)). This study involved 1400 Portuguese adult participants. The factorial structure of the European Portuguese version was tested using four methods: exploratory factor analysis, orthogonal procrustes rotation analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and exploratory structural equation modeling. The integration of data coming from these methods suggested that the Portuguese version of the TCI-R presented good structural validity (as revealed by the emergence of the temperament and character structures predicted by theory) and high levels of congruence between the American and the Portuguese versions. An improvement in the goodness of fit of the models for the Portuguese population was achieved by using exploratory structural equation modeling over confirmatory factor analysis. Although some facets registered questionable consistency, all dimensions had acceptable to good consistency (all ≥ .79). These results confirm the validity of the Portuguese TCI-R and its adequacy for use in European Portuguese samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between Machiavellianism and emotion management features is highly debated. In our study we try to clarify the controversial findings by highlighting the role of gender differences. Three studies with different (undergraduate and employed) participants were conducted to investigate gender differences in Machiavellianism-related personality characteristics. We used different measures of Machiavellianism and explored their connection with temperament and character traits (Study 1), with scales of six-factor (HEXACO) model of personality (Study 2), and with different types of psychopathy and narcissism (Study 3). Our results show that there are gender differences in the connection of Machiavellianism and other personality traits, and that most of the differences were found in the field of emotion management. We found that women's Machiavellianism scores were correlated with harm avoidant, anxious, vulnerable, hypersensitive features, while Machiavellianism among men was associated with risk taking, self-confidence, and an opportunistic worldview. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Point Subtraction Aggression Paradigm (PSAP) is a well-validated and frequently applied behavioral paradigm for provocation and quantification of reactive aggressive behavior in laboratory settings. Here, we design and test a newly developed PSAP version in its ability to quantify proactive aggressive behavior. A group of 119 male volunteers was allocated to the conventional PSAP and two other variants of the PSAP. The first PSAP adaptation intended to abet proactive aggression by monetary reward for aggressive actions. In the second variant, a highly competitive situation was created. In addition, two sets of aggression questionnaires, related to proactive and reactive aggressive and psychopathic traits, were used (Reactive-Proactive Aggression Questionnaire (RPQ), Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R)). Our results showed strong positive correlations among RPQ/PPI-R and aggressive behavior only for the new competitive version of the PSAP. In contrast, the scores of these scales showed weak and non-significant correlations with observed aggression in the two PSAP variants. The scores for reactive aggression were not significantly associated with any of the PSAP versions. These data indicate that aggression on the newly developed competitive PSAP design is mainly driven by proactive aggressive mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study aimed to investigate the effect of temperament and character traits on perceived social support and quality of life in patients with epilepsy (PWE). Methods Fifty-two PWE and 54 healthy controls were included in this study. Demographics and clinical data were recorded. Temperament and Character traits were investigated using Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Perceived Social Support was evaluated by Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Scale (MSPSS), and quality of life was assessed using a 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Participants also completed the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). Results TCI and MSPSS scores showed no significant difference between the groups (p > 0.05). Mental and physical subscales of SF-36 were significantly lower in PWE than the controls (p = 0.012, p = 0.020, respectively). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that Reward Dependence and Cooperativeness were independent predictors for perceived social support, and Persistence score was an independent predictor for the physical subscale of SF-36 even after adjustment for confounding background variables (p < 0.05, for all). Conclusion Temperament and character traits may affect perceived social support and quality of life in PWE. Thus, an evaluation of temperament and character traits may play a significant role in preventing negative effects on perceived social support and quality of life in PWE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Withdrawn/depressed behavior (WD) as defined by the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) relates to various outcomes in developmental psychopathology such as depression, pervasive developmental disorders, and suicide. We sought to examine the temperamental characteristics of children who concurrently endorse symptoms of WD. Junior Temperament and Characteristic Inventory (JTCI) and CBCL data were collected from 397 children's parents in a family study in the northeastern United States. Linear mixed models were used to test the relations between WD and temperament dimensions (Novelty Seeking, Harm Avoidance, Reward Dependence, Persistence) on the JTCI, while controlling for age, sex, item overlap, and co-occurring aggression and attention problems. When controlling for definitional artifact and CBCL aggressive behavior and attention scores, high harm avoidance and low reward dependence were both significant predictors of childhood withdrawn behavior. This study marks the first characterization of a temperamental profile associated with WD in children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Ophthalmic involvement may lead to permanent vision loss in 25% of cases in patients with BD and it is a main concern in the literature. Although several studies have been investigated, the etiology and the cause of the disease and attacks are not yet known. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between visual impairment and personal characteristics and social circumstances in patients with BD.Materials and Methods: A total of 153 patients with BD and age-and gender-matched 26 healthy control subjects completed the self-report Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S and STAI-T). We classified the study participants into three groups with respect to severity of eye involvement and one control group. Each group was compared with the other two study groups and control group.Results: According to TCI, we revealed that there was a trend in BD patients with eye involvement + poor prognosis having less disorderliness traits than BD patients with eye involvement + good prognosis (p = 0.016). The BD patients with eye involvement + poor prognosis had significantly lower attachment scores than BD patients with eye involvement + good prognosis (p = 0.005) and healthy controls (p = 0.005). The BD with eye involvement + poor prognosis had lower empathy scores than healthy controls (p = 0.002). In the way of average TCI parameters, only SD was statistically significant. In terms of subdimensions of TCI parameters, RD3, SD3, SD5, and C2 were shown to be statistically significant among some of the groups.Conclusion: BD patients with eye involvement were demonstrated to be more extravagant and socially disinterested. It may reflect that severe visual loss caused BD patients to be more systematic, depressive, self-contained, and exhausted. Considering psychological aspects of BD and its visual manifestations may contribute to helping these patients more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) is a psychological test that is frequently used to assess personality traits. Many studies have shown the potential of the inventory to predict the treatment response of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Previously, we showed the association between 10 items of the TCI and the treatment response. In the present study, we reanalyzed the 10 items and aimed to provide cut-off values. Methods: This work is a secondary analysis of previously published work. Seventy-three patients were enrolled in the previously done study. Participants were treated with 10-40 mg/day of paroxetine for six weeks, and then the participants completed the TCI. The Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) was used to evaluate depression. The participants were divided into two groups (responders and non-responders). Using chi-squared tests, we reanalyzed the 10 items that had the strongest association with the treatment response in the previous study. We rated the answers to each item associated with the treatment response as a "1", and the answers associated with a non-response were rated as a "0". We calculated predictive scores using 10 models. Each model consisted of 1-10 scores of the best 1-10 items. We defined cut-off values for predicting treatment responses using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results: Ranked by the strength of the association with the treatment response, items 174, 137, 70, 237, 106, 191, 34, 232, 161, and 215 of the TCI significantly predicted treatment responses. All predictive scores from models 1 to 10 significantly predicted treatment responses. The predictive score threshold of model 7 was 3/4, with an area under the curve of 0.825, and this model showed the highest odds and likelihood ratios (19.3 and 8.86, respectively). Conclusions: We might predict the treatment response of patients with MDD using TCI predictive scoring, including items 174, 137, 70, 237, 106, 191, and 34 and a cut-off value of 3/4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the associations between the ratio of second-to-fourth digit lengths (2D:4D ratio) and psychological variables could be a useful method of confirming sex hormone effects on human behavior tendencies. This study investigated the correlations between the 2D:4D ratio and characteristics of temperament and character in an urban community population. We hypothesized that the 2D:4D ratio correlates more strongly with temperament than with character. A total of 728 healthy adults (330 men and 398 women) ranging in age from 20 to 45 years were tested. Subjects completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and were examined by measuring the 2D:4D ratio using a direct measurement method. Correlations between the 2D:4D ratio and psychological characteristics were explored. For women only, significant positive correlations with the 2D:4D ratio were found in the TCI-Temperament dimension (TCI-T), particularly in the two subscales of harm avoidance scale. Women with higher 2D:4D ratios had higher fear of uncertainly scores ( r partial = 0.206, p = 0.028) and shyness with strangers scores ( r partial = 0.252, p = 0.024). The 2D:4D ratio shows stronger correlations with temperament than with character. A higher 2D:4D ratio of woman is expected to indicate harm avoidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the effect of parental personality on birth outcomes. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: 727 pregnant women and 579 spouses receiving antenatal care at a single-center in rural Tokyo, Japan during 2010–2013. Methods: We measured the association between maternal effect of parental personality traits assessed by the Cloninger’s Temperament and Character Inventory on birth outcomes, using multiple regression and adjusting for demographics. Results: Maternal self-transcendence personality was inversely associated with gestational age [-0.26 (95% confidence interval (CI): -0.51 to -0.01) weeks per unit] and positively associated with preterm birth [odds ratio (OR) 2.60 (95% CI: 1.00 to 6.75) per unit], while paternal self-transcendence personality was positively associated with gestational age [0.31 (95% CI: 0.07 to 0.55) weeks per unit]. Maternal reward dependence was positively associated with fetal growth [0.30 (95% CI: 0.02 to 0.59) per unit]. Other maternal and paternal personality traits associated with adverse maternal behavior, such as novelty seeking, harm avoidance and self-directedness, were not associated with birth outcomes. Conclusion: We found that specific parental personality traits can be associated with birth outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the personality of severely ill patients with anorexia nervosa, restricting (AN-R) and binge-purge subtypes (AN-BP), during hospitalization for medical stabilization. Participants (N= 37) completed the Temperament and Character Inventory, Revised. Personality domains were similar between AN-R and AN-BP with the exception of cooperativeness. AN-R patients scored higher on this dimension, suggesting that individuals with restricting anorexia may be more tolerant of treatment during early medical stabilization. Future research is needed to further elucidate this novel finding in order to identify the point at which body mass index predicts a decline in cooperativeness and the potential need for new intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Involvement of personality traits in susceptibility to suicidal behaviour has attracted considerable research interest over the past decades. This study was motivated by reports that emotionality may play a potentially confounding role in the association between the personality profile and suicidal behaviour. We assessed the association between personality traits, as measured using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), and suicidal behaviour, while controlling for the effects of Affective Temperaments, measured using the Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A) in a sample of 140 consecutive self-poisoning nonlethal suicide (SNS) attempters admitted to the Emergency Toxicology Clinic, comparing them with a sample of 140 age and sex matched healthy controls. After controlling for Affective Temperaments, the temperament dimension of Novelty Seeking (NS) and the character dimensions of Self-directedness and Self-transcendence remained significantly associated with SNS attempts. NS, in particular, was most consistently and uniquely associated with suicidal behaviour. The present study conveys the difficulty in disentangling the personality profile of SNS attempters from their emotionality. We conclude that the risk associated with certain personality traits is often entirely mediated by Affective Temperaments and few dimensions independently contribute to the risk of self-poisoning nonlethal suicidal behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have reported changes in the dimensions of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) after patients with major depressive disorder are treated. We aimed to investigate the changes in the TCI dimensions after paroxetine treatment in patients with major depressive disorder. Forty-eight patients were enrolled in this study and were treated with 10-40 mg/day of paroxetine for 6 weeks. The TCI was completed twice, at weeks 0 and 6. We used the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) to evaluate patients. The participants were divided into three groups (responders, non-responders, and early responders) based on treatment response. The scores of each dimension of the TCI were compared before and after treatment using repeated-measures two-way analyses of variance. In the responders group ( n = 24), no TCI dimension scores changed significantly during treatment, but the interaction between sex and MADRS score change was significantly associated with the results. In the non-responders group ( n = 15), the self-directedness score increased significantly during the treatment period ( p = 0.000), and the change in MADRS score significantly affected the results. In the early responders group ( n = 9), no TCI dimension scores changed significantly during treatment. The results of the present study may reveal a possible correlation between paroxetine treatment and changes in personality traits. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Psychosocial factors have been implicated as being important in the onset and/or exacerbation of urticaria. Aim: To examine both personality factors of patients with chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) and the correlations between illness duration, severity of itching, urticaria activity score (UAS) and temperament-character dimensions. Material and methods: A total number of 70 CIU patients and 60 healthy individuals were included in the study. The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) was administered individually. The relationship between UAS, illness duration and severity of pruritus and TCI subscales were evaluated. Results: The CIU group had significantly higher scores of novelty seeking and lower scores of cooperativeness, reward dependence and self-directedness than the control group. Conclusions: The current study shows that CIU patients have distinctive temperament and character dimensions when compared with the control group. We suggest that evaluation and treatment of CIU should also include psychosomatic approaches in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic disease in which patients feel a burning sensation and pain in the oral cavity. Although personality traits have been suggested to influence the development and course of BMS, they have not yet been examined in detail. We therefore investigated the personality traits of BMS patients. Methods Sample consisted of 65 BMS patients presenting to the Aichi-Gakuin Dental School Hospital between May 2005 and April 2009. They were also diagnosed as having pain disorder by a psychiatrist. The control group consisted of 116 healthy subjects. The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) was used to evaluate personality traits, while the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to evaluate the depression rate in both groups. Results In TCI, we found that, in comparison to the control group, the novelty seeking score was significantly lower (p = 0.009), the harm avoidance score was significantly higher (p < 0.001), and the self-directedness score was significantly lower (p = 0.039) in the BMS group. To remove the influence of depression, we performed an analysis of covariance of each TCI item using the BDI score as a covariate. No significant differences were observed in harm avoidance or self-directedness, whereas the differences noted in novelty seeking were significant (p = 0.008). Conclusion The novelty seeking score was low in BMS patients in comparison to the control group. They also had high harm avoidance and low self-directedness tendencies, but these were attributed to the influence of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no scientific consensus that a relationship exists between the ABO blood group and personality traits. However, a recent study hypothesized that the dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH) gene is in linkage with the ABO gene. The sample population consisted of 1,427 healthy Japanese subjects who completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Each subject’s ABO blood type was determined by genotyping the rs8176719 and rs8176746 ABO gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using a TaqMan genotyping assay. The relationships between the six ABO genotypes or four ABO phenotypes and personality traits were examined using a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), controlling for age and sex. The MANCOVA data showed a significant difference in TCI scores among the ABO genotype groups (F [7, 1393] = 3.354, p = 0.001). A subsequent univariate analysis showed a significant difference in the mean scores for Persistence among the genotype groups (F = 2.680, partial η2 = 0.010, p = 0.020). Similarly, dividing the ABO blood type into four phenotypes revealed a significant difference among the phenotype groups (F [7, 1397] = 2.529, p = 0.014). A subsequent univariate analysis showed a significant difference among the phenotype groups in the mean scores for Persistence (F = 2.952, partial η2= 0.006, p = 0.032). We observed a significant association between ABO blood group genotypes and personality traits in a large number of healthy Japanese subjects. However, these results should be regarded as preliminary and should be interpreted with caution because it is possible that the association between ABO blood group genotype and the Persistence trait is relatively weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In this study, we aimed to compare temperament-character features, impulsiveness and functionality levels of bipolar patients who attempted suicide and who did not. Methods: One hundred one patients admitted to Erenköy Mental Health Training and Research Hospital who were diagnosed with bipolar disorder according to DSM-IV-TR and 50 healthy age and gender-matched controls are included in this study. We applied Sociodemographical and Clinical Data Form and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Axis-I Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-I), Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11) to both patient and control groups; Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Bipolar Disorder Functioning Questionnaire (BDFQ) to only patient group. Results: There was not any statistically significant difference in sociodemographic features between the patient and control group (p>0.05). Mean age of the patient group was 35,69±12,10, mean age of the control group was 32,00±9,24. 38 individuals (%37,62) in the patient group were found to have one or more suicidal attempts. In the comparison between the patient group that attempted suicide and the patient group without suicidal attempt, statistically significant differences were found in cooperativeness (C), self-directedness (SD), self transcendence (ST), novelty seeking subgroup (NS2), harm avoidance subgroup (HA4), reward dependency subgroup (RD2) and total scores of BDFQ and BIS-11. Discussion: In our study, the statistically significant lower C and SD scores found in suicide attempters, which points out tendency to personality disorders, suggests that personality disorders might be associated with suicide attempts in bipolar disorder patients. In addition to this, higher impulsiveness and lower bipolar functionality scores that found in suicide attempters suggests that these suicide attempts might be more impulsive attempts and impair patients functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventionally, individual differences have been assessed using temperament measures for infants and children, and personality measures for adults. We chose to explore both temperament and personality to see whether a convergence exists specifically during adolescence. A sample of 225 adolescents completed Rothbart's Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire–Revised (EATQ–R), a 4-factor temperament scale, and the HEXACO Personality Inventory–Revised (HEXACO PI–R), a 6-factor personality scale. As hypothesized, we found significant relations between the 2 measures. However, there were some important differences between the 2 measures regarding Honesty–Humility, Openness, and Frustration that highlight the unique contributions of both instruments to understanding and measuring adolescent individual differences. As there is a relatively scant history of measuring temperament or personality in adolescence, it is sometimes difficult for researchers to decide which instrument is most appropriate. The results reported here suggest that either the EATQ–R or the HEXACO PI–R could be appropriate, depending on the specific research questions being asked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Previous studies consistently reported increased harm avoidance ( HA) assessed with the Temperament and Character Inventory ( TCI) in patients with major depressive disorder ( MDD). However, such findings may have been related with depression severity and number of depressive episodes. The aims of the present study were twofold: to examine TCI personality profile in remitted MDD ( DSM-IV) patients and to compare TCI personality between MDD patients with single episode ( SGL-MDD) and those with recurrent episodes ( REC-MDD) in order to elucidate personality profile associated with recurrence. Methods TCI was administered to 86 outpatients with remitted SGL-MDD (12 male and 17 female patients; mean age 43.2 ± 12.1 years) and REC-MDD (26 male and 31 female patients; 40.3 ± 11.6 years), and 529 healthy controls (225 men and 304 women; 43.4 ± 15.5 years), matched for age, sex and education years. Logistic regression analyses were performed in which single/recurrent episodes of depression were the dependent variable and age, sex, age of onset, family history of psychiatric disease and TCI scores were entered as possible predictors. Results The remitted MDD patients had significantly higher scores on HA ( P < 0.001) and lower scores on self-directedness ( P < 0.001), compared with the controls. HA ( P = 0.03), its subscore, fatigability ( P = 0.03), and family history of psychiatric disease were found to be positive predictors for recurrence. Conclusion There are differences in personality profile between remitted MDD patients and controls, and between remitted REC-MDD and SGL-MDD patients, suggesting that they are trait markers. HA and fatigability might be useful to assess risk for recurrence of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between psychopathy and traits of temperament and character in a specific population of criminals, such as murderers, has not been sufficiently investigated. This study assesses the relationship between psychopathy and temperament and character traits in murderers. The sample consisted of 118 men divided into three groups: psychopathic murderers (N=40), non-psychopathic murderers (N=40) and 38 non-psychopathic non-criminals (controls). All individuals were evaluated by Psychopathy Checklist Revised (PCL-R) and The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Psychopathic murderers presented higher scores than the other two groups in PCL-R; both criminal groups presented higher scores than non-psychopathic non-criminals. Psychopathic murderers showed lower scores than non-psychopathic murderers on Harm Avoidance, Reward Dependence, Persistence, Self-Directness and Cooperativeness. There was no difference between murderers groups regarding Novelty Seeking and Self-transcendence. In all TCI personality traits psychopathic and non-psychopathic murderers showed scores lower than controls, except Harm Avoidance for non-psychopathic murderers. In conclusion, most personality traits assessed by TCI were associated with psychopathy, while Novelty Seeking and Self-transcendence were associated with homicidal behavior independently of the psychopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While evidence continues to accumulate on the relevance of cognitive inflexibility in anorexia nervosa (AN), its clinical correlates remain unclear. We aimed at examining the relationship between set-shifting and clinical variables (i.e., eating psychopathology, depression, and personality) in AN. Ninety-four individuals affected by AN and 59 healthy controls (HC) were recruited. All participants were assessed using: Eating Disorders Inventory-2 (EDI-2), Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). The AN group scored worse than HCs on set-shifting. According to their neuropsychological performances, AN patients were split into two groups corresponding to poor (N=30) and intact (N=64) set-shifting subtypes. Interoceptive awareness, impulse regulation, and maturity fears on the EDI-2 and depression on the BDI differed across all groups (HC, intact, and poor set-shifting subtype). Self-directedness on the TCI differed significantly among all groups. Cooperativeness and reward dependence differed instead only between HC and AN poor set-shifting subtype. After controlling for depression, only interoceptive awareness remained significant with reward dependence showing a trend towards statistical significance. These findings suggest that multiple clinical variables may be correlated with set-shifting performances in AN. The factors contributing to impaired cognitive inflexibility could be more complex than heretofore generally considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mountaineering and mountain-related sports are growing in popularity and are associated with significant risk of injury. There is a perception that mountaineers possess unique personality characteristics that attract them to the sport. We aim to determine whether there are any identifiable differences between the personality characteristics of experienced mountaineers and a normal control population and to determine whether there is an association between specific personality traits and risk of injury. Methods: Questionnaires were utilized to obtain data on demographics, accidents, and personality characteristics from a population of experienced mountaineers. The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) was used, and the results were compared with normative data from age-matched controls. Results: Forty-seven mountaineers from 8 different countries enrolled in the study. The mean age was 33 years, and 44 (90%) had been mountaineering for more than 5 years. Twenty-three climbers (49%) had been involved in a total of 33 accidents. Mountaineers scored higher on novelty seeking (P < .05) and self-directedness (P < .05) and lower on harm avoidance (P < .001) and self-transcendence (P < .001). There was a significant association between the character measure of cooperativeness and the total number (−.33, P < .05) and severity (−.475, P < .05) of accidents. Conclusions: Mountaineering is associated with significant risk of injury. Wide variation in the scores of personality traits suggests that there is not a tightly defined personality profile among mountaineers. Scores on cooperativeness may assist in determining risk of injury in mountaineers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Researchers examining personality typologies of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have consistently identified 3 groups: low pathology, internalizing, and externalizing. These groups have been found to predict functional severity and psychiatric comorbidity. In this study, we employed Latent Profile Analysis to compare this previously established typology, grounded in temperament traits (negative emotionality; positive emotionality; constraint), to a novel typology rooted in interpersonal traits (dominance; warmth) in a sample of individuals with PTSD (n = 155). Using Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality (SNAP) traits to create latent profiles, the 3-group temperament model was replicated. Using Interpersonal Circumplex (IPC) traits to create latent profiles, we identified a 4-group solution with groups varying in interpersonal style. These models were nonredundant, indicating that the depiction of personality variability in PTSD depends on how personality is assessed. Whereas the temperament model was more effective for distinguishing individuals based on distress and comorbid disorders, the interpersonal model was more effective for predicting the chronicity of PTSD over the 10 year course of the study. We discuss the potential for integrating these complementary temperament and interpersonal typologies in the clinical assessment of PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sub-threshold psychotic symptoms are quite commonly present in general population. Among these, Magical Ideation (MI) has been proved to be a valid predictor of psychosis. However, the genetic and environmental influences on the interplay between MI and personality have not fully been explored. A total of 534 adult twins from the population-based Italian Twin Register were assessed for MI using the MI Scale (MIS) and for personality with the temperament and character inventory (TCI). A Multivariate Cholesky model was applied with Mx statistical program. The best-fitting model showed that additive genetic and unshared environmental factors explain approximately the same proportion of variance in MI, whereas a less strong genetic influence on personality traits emerged. Relevant correlations between MI and specific personality traits (novelty seeking, cooperativeness, self-directedness, self-transcendence) were found, suggesting shared influences for MI and these traits. Both genetic and environmental factors explained these correlations, with genetic factors playing a predominant role. Moderate-to-substantial genetic effects on MI and personality were found. Shared genetic and environmental effects underlie the phenotypic correlation between MI (psychosis-proneness) and personality traits, i.e. self-directedness (negative association) and self-transcendence (positive association), potentially representing predictive markers of psychosis liability related to schizotypy and personality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

One of the territories of dental psychosomatics is the link between personality characterisctics and dental status. The aim of the present study was to survey the relationship between temperament and character factors and dental status in police students. It can be hypothesized, that some temperament factors can increase the risk for dental health problems. After dental screening 792 police students completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) devised by Cloninger. 57.5% of students rated their own teeth as being in good or very good condition, and only 2.8% as bad condition. In persons rating their dental status as 'good', the average DMFT was 9.23±5.01 (mean±S.D.). In students assessing their own oral health as bad, TCI results showed that a higher percentage of students displayed extravagance, impulsiveness, disorderliness than the overall population. Among the students with good self-assessment but bad teeth, there was a higher percentage of students displaying passivity, low assertiveness, and introversion. The temperament and character factors may have negative consequences for students in an institution which exposes them to high stress level. It may be useful to screen these students using subjective health questionnaires in order to permit more effective efforts to positive health behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personality traits are important candidate predictors of suicidal behavior. Several studies have reported an association between personality/temperament traits and suicidal behavior, suggesting personality traits as intermediary phenotypes related to suicidal behavior. Thus, it is possible that suicide attempts can be accounted for by increased familial rates of risk personality traits. The aim of this work was to evaluate personality traits in affective disorder patients with attempted suicide and to compare them with the personality trait scores of their parents. In addition, ITC scores in the two groups were compared with a healthy control sample. The patients evaluated met the DSM-IV criteria for major depression disorder or dysthymia and had a documented history of suicide attempts. Psychiatric diagnoses of patients and parents were done according to the SCID-I and the personality was assessed using the Temperament and Character Inventory. We analyzed 49 suicide attempt subjects and their parents (n = 95) and 89 control subjects. We observed that temperament and character dimensions were similar between patients and their parents (P > 0.05). In particular, we observed that high HA and low P, SD, and CO were shared among families. Our study is the first to report that the personality traits of affective disorder patients with a history of attempted suicide are shared between patients and their parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Anxiety disorders exhibit remarkably high rates of comorbidity with major depressive disorder (MDD). Mood and anxiety disorders are considered stress-related diseases. Genetic variations in the co-chaperone FK506-binding protein 51, FKBP5, which modulates the function of glucocorticoid receptors, have been associated with an increased risk for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder, but data regarding its role in MDD are controversial. The aims of this study were to clarify the role of the FKBP5 gene in depression and anxiety disorders through a case-control study and an association study with personality traits using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in healthy subjects. Methods Six hundred fifty-seven MDD patients, with or without an anxiety disorder in comorbidity, and 462 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Two hundred fifty-six controls agreed to fill out the TCI. Results The results showed that the T allele of rs1360780 was more frequent among the patients affected by MDD with a comorbidity of anxiety disorders, compared to those without ( P < .001). Among the controls, we found that the T allele more often exhibited personality traits associated with an increased vulnerability to anxiety. Conclusions These results support the hypothesis that allelic variants of FKBP5 are a risk factor for anxiety disorders. The identification of genetic variants involved in anxiety may have implications for the optimization of therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Although depression has been associated with decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels for specific personality traits, there is a little information regarding the association between peripheral BDNF levels and such traits. The sample consisted of 178 healthy Japanese subjects (age range, 37.4±11.5 years). All subjects filled out the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Plasma BDNF levels were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A simple regression analysis revealed that plasma BDNF levels were significantly correlated with harm avoidance (r=−0.177, p=0.018) and self-directedness scores (r=0.165, p=0.028). Our findings suggest that plasma BDNF levels are associated with depression-related personality traits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The clinical outcome of antidepressant treatment in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) is thought to be associated with personality traits. A number of studies suggest that depressed patients show high harm avoidance, low self-directedness and cooperativeness, as measured on the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). However, the psychology of these patients is not well documented. Methods: Psychological evaluation using Cloninger’s TCI, was performed on treatment-resistant MDD patients (n = 35), remission MDD patients (n = 31), and age- and gender-matched healthy controls (n = 174). Results: Treatment-resistant patients demonstrated high scores for harm avoidance, and low scores for reward dependence, self-directedness, and cooperativeness using the TCI, compared with healthy controls and remission patients. Interestingly, patients in remission continued to show significantly high scores for harm avoidance, but not other traits in the TCI compared with controls. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between reward dependence and harm avoidance in the treatment-resistant depression cohort, which was absent in the control and remitted depression groups. Conclusions: This study suggests that low reward dependence and to a lesser extent, low cooperativeness in the TCI may be risk factors for treatment-resistant depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Personality traits have been suggested as possible risk factors for suicidal behaviours. Cloninger''s model of personality (TCI), given its neurobiological background, might provide an ideal tool for the identification of dimensions associated with suicide attempt. Methods: A number of 1333 suicide attempters and 589 non-suicide attempters suffering from different DSM-IV Axis I disorders were assessed using either the temperament and character inventory (TCI) or the tridimensional personality questionnaire (TPQ), as well as other self-report questionnaires evaluating dimensions associated with suicidal behaviour, such as impulsivity and anger traits. The severity of suicide attempts and the methods used were also assessed. Subjects were genotyped for polymorphisms within the key genes involved in monoaminergic pathways and the HPA axis. Results: Compared with non-suicide attempters, suicide attempters scored higher for harm avoidance (HA) and novelty seeking (NS), and lower for self-directedness (SD). The difference was independent of Axis I disorders. Higher HA and NS scores were associated with a greater severity of suicidal behaviour. A multivariate model showed that HA was the single temperamental dimension independently related to suicide attempt history, beside impulsivity and anger-related traits. The genetic factors investigated did not play a significant role in modulating these temperamental dimensions. Limitations: The TCI was available for only half of the sample. Conclusions: Early detection of subjects displaying high HA and low SD, associated with high impulsivity and poor anger control, may help to prevent suicidal behaviours. Physicians should therefore be aware of these risk factors so that they can offer the best primary care intervention. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Using a behavioral genetic approach, we examined the association between Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and IQ in terms of underlying genetic and environmental etiological overlap. Using the TCI personality dimensions (4 temperaments and 3 character traits) and IQ data for 199 pairs of adolescent and young adult twins, we found a genetic negative correlation between one of the character traits (self-transcendence) and IQ. In contrast, we did not find significant environmental correlations between any of the personality dimensions and IQ. These results suggest that contributions from the same genetic factor operate on both self-transcendence and IQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput (CLOCK) T3111C polymorphism has been associated with several psychiatric disorders, including mood disorders and schizophrenia, which are linked to specific personality traits. We investigated the relationship between the personality traits measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCD and the C3111T polymorphism of the CLOCK gene in healthy Japanese subjects. Methods: The sample population con:ained 1,092 healthy subjects (age = 27.4 ± 8.7years) who completed the TCI. Genomic DNA was isolated from whole blood and genotyped using the TaqMan allele-specif-ic assay method. The associations between the gene polymorphisms and TCI scores were evaluated by one-way analysis of variance and multiple regression analysis. We also compared the TCI scores between the C allele carrier (C/T and C/C genotypes) and non-carrier (T/T genotype) groups using Student's t test. Males and females were analyzed separately. Results: There was no significant association between the C3111T genotype and any TCI score, but multiple regression analyses revealed significant but opposite as- sociations between reward dependence and the C3111T polymorphism in males and females (p = 0.032, (3 = 0.087 and p = 0.05, p = -0.087, respectively). Similarly, when we compared the TCI scores of CLOCK C311 IT C carrier and non-carrier subjects, we found that male C allele carriers had significantly higher reward dependence scores than non-carriers (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the CLOCK C311 IT polymorphism may affect personality traits in healthy Japanese Subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this research was to compare these two personality theories in the dimensional sense and to determine their relations, overlapping and correlative predictions. Methods: The sample of this study consisted of 200 healthy volunteers. One hundred and twelve participants were male and their old were changed from 18 to 63. The sample was constituted according to snowball sampling method. Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and Five Factor Personality Inventory (FFPI) were used for data collection. Results: Except for the self-transcendence dimension, all dimensions of both theories are highly related over the level of 0.40, with at least one dimension of the other theory. According to regression analyzes 37-60% of FFPE dimensions' variance was predicted by TCI dimensions and 3-60% of TCI dimensions' variance was predicted by FFPI. Discussion: Nevertheless, these relations not indicate exactly overlapping, so two of personality theory's dimensions include unique properties in themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personality may play an important role in the development and initiation of fibromyalgia (FM). It may also be used for individualized treatment planning. We aimed to assess personality profiles of FM patients and to evaluate the association of personality profiles with education, symptom severity, depression, anxiety, and functioning. Forty-two female patients with FM and 48 healthy female controls were enrolled in the study. We assessed personality profiles of FM patients using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to detect the correlation between the TCI and education, symptom severity, depression, anxiety, and functioning. FM patients had significantly higher harm avoidance (HA) and self-transcendence (ST) scores, and lower self-directedness (SD) scores than those in the healthy controls. High HA scores were related to impaired functioning, depression, and anxiety symptoms. A negative correlation has been found between SD scores and depression scores. The study suggests that FM patients have distinctive temperament and character profile compared with healthy controls. FM patients tend to have high HA, high ST, and low SD scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several theories have sought to explain the motivations for handgun possession and the relationship with personality. Perception of handguns also has cultural variations. The aim of the study is to evaluate handgun license applicants' personality profiles. 109 handgun license applicants were included in the study. Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) scores of the applicants were recorded. Scores were compared with Turkish and American normative data for the Inventory. The study group had significantly lower subscores on novelty seeking, harm avoidance, and higher subscores on reward dependence and persistence compared to Turkish norms and significantly lower subscores on novelty seeking, reward dependence, and self-directedness compared to American norms. Results indicate that Turkish handgun license applicants' personality features are more similar to American norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Anxiety symptoms are common in chronic pain patients. High levels of anxiety are associated with increased pain experience and disability. Proneness to anxiety has a large interindividual variation. The aim of the study was to determine whether the anxiety-related temperament trait Harm Avoidance (HA), is associated with pain-related anxiety. Methods: One hundred chronic pain patients in a multidisciplinary pain clinic participated in the study. The patients were assessed using the HA scale of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) of Cloninger and Pain Anxiety Symptoms Scale-20 (PASS-20). Both the HA total score and the four subscales of HA were analyzed. Current pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to control for the influence of depression on the personality measurement. Results: The HA total score was associated with PASS-20, but the association became non-significant after controlling for depression. The HA4 Fatigability subscale was associated with the PASS scales. Depression did not influence this association. Pain intensity was not correlated with HA or the PASS scales. However, the association between HA4 Fatigability and PASS was influenced by pain intensity. Higher pain intensity was associated with stronger association between the scales. Conclusion: Harm Avoidance, representing temperament and trait-related anxiety, has relevance in pain-related anxiety. Assessing personality and temperament may deepen the clinician's understanding of the pain experience and behavior in chronic pain patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

background/aim. Psychopathology may exert influence on developing and maintaining obesity. Studies of personality traits or psychopathology of personality in obesity are scarce and contradictory. The aim of this study was to compare personality profiles between obese and normal-weight subjects and to determine the most useful tool to detect differences, considering that psychological assessment and psychotherapeutical support should be included within the overall management of these patients. Method. We examined 55 obese subjects (mean BMI=43kg/ m²) and 66 controls (mean BMI =21.7kg/m²). We used the personality assessment tools: MCMI-II, TCI-R, EPQ-A, BIS-111 and SSS. Factorial multivariate analysis of variance was applied; with factors BMI, Gender and Age as a covariate. Results. Significant differences between groups were more marked in the clinical syndrome scales of MCMI-II, particularly in Major-Depression, Thought-Disorder, Anxiety, Somatoform and Alcohol-Dependence. Among obese, women scored higher than men in all scales but not significantly. We have found significant differences in normal personality dimensions between both groups in TCI-R. Obese showed higher scores in Harm Avoidance, and lower in Novelty Seeking, Persistence and Self-transcendence. The remaining tests have not been useful for differentiating personality traits between both groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim. Psychopathology may exert influence on developing and maintaining obesity. Studies of personality traits or psychopathology of personality in obesity are scarce and contradictory. The aim of this study was to compare personality profiles between obese and normal-weight subjects and to determine the most useful tool to detect differences, considering that psychological assessment and psychotherapeutical support should be included within the overall management of these patients. Method. We examined 55 obese subjects (mean BMI=43kg/ m²) and 66 controls (mean BMI =21.7kg/m²). We used the personality assessment tools: MCMI-II, TCI-R, EPQ-A, BIS-111 and SSS. Factorial multivariate analysis of variance was applied; with factors BMI, Gender and Age as a covariate. Results. Significant differences between groups were more marked in the clinical syndrome scales of MCMI-II, particularly in Major-Depression, Thought-Disorder, Anxiety, Somatoform and Alcohol-Dependence. Among obese, women scored higher than men in all scales but not significantly. We have found significant differences in normal personality dimensions between both groups in TCI-R. Obese showed higher scores in Harm Avoidance, and lower in Novelty Seeking, Persistence and Self-transcendence. The remaining tests have not been useful for differentiating personality traits between both groups. Conclusion. Obese subjects showed different personality profiles than control subjects. The most useful scales for determining these differences might be those designed to assess pathological personality such as MCMI-II. Less important would be those intended to measure normal personality traits, such as TCI-R and EPQ-A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is crucial to characterize self-regulation in children. We compared the temperamental profiles of children with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) Dysregulation Profile (CBCL-DP) to profiles associated with other CBCL-derived syndromes. 382 children (204 boys; aged 5-18) from a large family study were examined. Temperamental profiles were based on the Juvenile Temperament and Character Inventory. Children with the CBCL-DP had a temperamental profile characterized by high Novelty Seeking, high Harm Avoidance, low Reward Dependence and low Persistence. Linear mixed models and regression-based models demonstrated that the CBCL-DP was associated with a 'disengaged' temperamental profile. This profile is similar to the profile seen in adult disorders of self-regulation, including cluster B personality disorders. These results support the hypothesis that the CBCL-DP measures poor self-regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: A recent genome-wide association study on Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) identified a specific association with a non-synonymous polymorphism (rs2522833) of a gene encoding the presynaptic protein piccolo (PCLO). A high percentage of patients who develop MDD have particular temperamental traits, such as passivity, pessimism, indecisiveness, and low self-esteem, which are related to the subsequent development of depression. The aims of this study were to perform a replicate case–control study and to conduct the first association study between the rs2522833 polymorphism and depression-related personality traits using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in a healthy subject sample. Methods: A total of 522 MDD patients and 375 healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Two hundred and forty-six controls agreed to fill out the TCI. Results: The results showed that rs2522833 CC homozygotes were more frequent among the depressed patients than in the controls (p<0.01). The C allele distribution showed a trend in the same direction (p=0.08). Among controls, we found that the C allele carriers were associated with personality traits increasing vulnerability to depression, including higher Harm Avoidance (HA) and lower in Novelty Seeking (NS). In particular, C allele carriers were more fearful (HA2) and fatigable (HA4), and less impulsive/more deliberate (NS2) and less extravagant/more frugal (NS3). Limitations: The absence of possible epistatic interaction effect. Conclusions: These results provide further support for the involvement of the PCLO gene in MDD and show that this effect may be mediated by influencing personality traits that increase the risk of major depression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The object of this study was to identify temperament patterns in the Finnish population, and to determine the relationship between these profiles and life habits, socioeconomic status, and health. Methods/Principal Findings: A cluster analysis of the Temperament and Character Inventory subscales was performed on 3,761 individuals from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 and replicated on 2,097 individuals from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study. Clusters were formed using the k-means method and their relationship with 115 variables from the areas of life habits, socioeconomic status and health was examined. Results: Four clusters were identified for both genders. Individuals from Cluster I are characterized by high persistence, low extravagance and disorderliness. They have healthy life habits, and lowest scores in most of the measures for psychiatric disorders. Cluster II individuals are characterized by low harm avoidance and high novelty seeking. They report the best physical capacity and highest level of income, but also high rate of divorce, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Individuals from Cluster III are not characterized by any extreme characteristic. Individuals from Cluster IV are characterized by high levels of harm avoidance, low levels of exploratory excitability and attachment, and score the lowest in most measures of health and well-being. Conclusions: This study shows that the temperament subscales do not distribute randomly but have an endogenous structure, and that these patterns have strong associations to health, life events, and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Personality and neural response to food cues in various mesolimbic brain structures have been linked to eating disorders. We investigated the question of whether personality traits in healthy individuals correlate with the brain activation induced on confrontation with appetizing visual stimuli. Personality was assessed in 27 normal-weight participants (14 women, mean age=26.0, SD =3.3 years) with the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). After an overnight fast, participants viewed blocks of pictures, half containing appetizing food and the other half showing scrambled pictures as control. After each block, participants rated their appetite. Brain activation was measured using a 3T MR scanner. Food compared to control stimuli elicited a significantly higher appetite rating, as well as strong activation in the ventral and dorsal visual stream, the fusiform gyrus and consecutive limbic centres such as the parahippocampal gyrus, the amygdala, the thalamus, the insula, the ventral striatum and the orbitofrontal cortex. In a region-of-interest analysis, the TCI trait self-directedness was negatively correlated with mean blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal change in the right amygdala (r =−.43, p =.025). Ultimately, amygdala reactivity might provide a risk factor for the development of eating disorders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study evaluated the correspondence between measures of two competing theories of personality, the five-factor model as measured by the Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ), and Cloninger's psychobiological theory measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory-revised (TCI-R). A sample of 900 Italian participants, balanced with respect to sex (393 men and 507 women), and representative of the adult population with respect to age (range 18 to 70 years; M = 39.6, SD = 15.7) completed the TCI-R and the Big Five Questionnaire. All TCI-R personality dimensions except Self-Transcendence were moderately correlated with one or more of the Big Five dimensions (from R= .40 to .61), and the two instruments showed areas of convergence. However, the differences outweighed the similarities, indicating that these current conceptualizations and measures of personality are somewhat inconsistent with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This study aims to identify temperament and characteristics of cannabis and methamphetamine abusers for elucidating psycho-biological variables related to certain substance abuse. Methods A total of 320 patients who registered in the 'Hepatitis C cohorts study of intravenous drug users' between March 2006 and March 2010 participated in this study. Data on demographic variables were obtained and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and measures for nicotine dependence, alcohol dependence, depression and anxiety were assessed. After comparing TCI between cannabis, methamphetamine, and co-abusers, correlations between TCI and other clinical variables were examined. Results The methamphetamine abuser group showed significantly higher scores in Novelty Seeking (NS2) and Harm Avoidance (HA3) in temperament than the cannabis abuser and co-abuser groups, whereas the cannabis abuser group had higher scores in purposefulness (SD2), congruent second nature (SD5), and self-directedness (SD) in character than the methamphetamine abuser group. In addition, temperaments and characters correlated with various psychiatric symptoms. Conclusions We found the differences in temperament and characters among cannabis abusers, methamphetamine abusers. These findings might contribute to further understanding of mechanisms of cannabis and methamphetamine abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Novelty seeking (NS) represents a dopaminergically modulated tendency toward frequent exploratory activity. Considering the reports showing the relationship between exploratory activity and amygdalar function and structure, and the fact that amygdala is one of the key structures that constitute the dopaminergic pathway in the brain, amygdala might be closely related to NS tendencies. Amygdalar subregional analysis method, which has the enhanced sensitivity compared to the volumteric approach would be appropriate in investigating the subtle differences of amygdalar structures among healthy individuals. The aim of the current study was to examine whether amygdalar subregional morphometric characteristics are associated with the NS tendencies in healthy adults using the amygdalar subregional analysis method. Methods Twenty-six healthy adults (12 males, 14 females ; mean age 29.8 ± 6.2 years) were screened for eligibility. All subjects completed the Korean version of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and underwent high-resolution brain magnetic resonance imaging. Individuals were divided into 2 groups according to NS scores of the TCI. Results Individuals of the high NS group had significantly larger laterobasal subregions in right amygdala, after adjustment with the brain parenchymal volumes. Sensitivity analyses for each potential confounding factor such as age, education years and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores demonstrated consistent results. Conclusions This study suggests that NS differences are associated with the laterobasal subregion of the amygdala. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: This study examined differences in temperament and character dimensions of personality between patients with Hwa-byung (HB) and those with major depressive disorder (MDD). Method: Of 144 participants, 96 completed the Korean version of the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised Short (TCI-RS) and the Hwa-byung Scale. We diagnosed participants according to the DSM-IV and the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Hwa-byung. We compared TCI scores between the HB group (with or without MDD; N=55) and the MDD-only group (N=41) and correlated them with the total scores on six HB-specific symptoms (global HB severity) on the Hwa-byung Scale. Results: Compared to patients with only MDD, patients with HB with or without MDD exhibited significantly higher scores on Impulsiveness; Harm Avoidance (HA) and its subscales of Anticipatory Worry; and Self-Transcendence (ST), with its subscale of Self-Forgetfulness. However, HB patients had lower scores on Self-Directedness, with its subscales of Responsibility, and Self-Acceptance; and Acceptance. Moreover, Global HB Severity had significant, positive correlations with ST, its subscale Self-Forgetfulness, and Anticipatory Worry but negative correlations with Attachment and Compassion. Limitations: Our data are cross-sectional and self-reported, so they are subject to personal perceptual bias. The number of participants may be too low for us to generalize the results. Conclusion: These results suggest that HB is a different clinical entity from MDD in relation to personality traits, and that symptoms unique to HB are closely correlated with ST. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Recent studies have displayed increased interest in examining the relationship between personality traits and the onset, treatment response patterns, and relapse of depression. This study aimed to examine whether or not harm avoidance (HA) was a risk factor for postpartum depression measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the state dependency of HA. Methods: Pregnant women (n = 460; mean age 31.964.2 years) who participated in a prenatal program completed the EPDS as a measure of depressive state and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) as a measure of HA during three periods: early pregnancy (T1), late pregnancy (around 36 weeks), and 1 month postpartum (T2). Changes in EPDS and HA scores from T1 to T2 were compared between the non depressive (ND) group and the postpartum depressive (PD) group. Results: There was no significant difference in the level of HA between the ND and PD groups at T1. In the ND group, EPDS and HA scores did not change significantly from T1 to T2. In the PD group, both scores increased significantly from T1 to T2 (EPDS, p<0.0001; HA, p<0.048). In the ND and PD groups, a significant positive correlation was observed in changes in EPDS and HA scores from T1 to T2 (r = 0.31, p = 0.002). Conclusions: These results suggest that HA cannot be considered a risk factor for the development of postpartum depression measured by EPDS. Furthermore, HA may be state dependent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the self-report Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4+ (PDQ-4+) in a sample of 437 psychiatric outpatients. Psychometric properties were assessed through internal consistency analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and concurrent validity. Results indicate that the Spanish version of the PDQ-4+ has moderate internal consistency, which was acceptable for 7 of the 12 self-report scales. The factor structure roughly replicated the DSM-IV clusters. The presence of Personality Disorders was associated with the character dimensions of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]