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PubMedDate not supplied

Temperament and character of Japanese eating disorder patients.

Previous studies consistently reported a link between bulimic behaviors and high Novelty Seeking (NS), as measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). However, it remains unclear whether this relationship is universal and occurs in different environments. Subjects of the present study consisted of 66 patients with anorexia nervosa restricting type (AN-R), 59 patients with anorexia nervosa binge eating/ purging type (AN-BP), 101 patients with bulimia nervosa purging type (BN), and 75 controls. NS score in AN-R patients was significantly lower than that in controls, although NS in BN patients did not differ from that in controls. The temperament of AN-R patients seems to be universal, even in different environments. Conversely, something other than temperament might be important in the development of bulimia nervosa in Japan.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

The effect of perceived wealth and poverty on adolescents' character judgments.

American adolescents between the ages of 11 and 16 were shown a photograph and a brief biographical sketch of a stranger in their own age group. The stranger was described as poor, wealthy, or neutral (no economic cues provided). Subjects were asked to rate the stranger on 20 characterological traits arranged in a semantic differential format. Strangers depicted as poor received significantly lower overall ratings than did neutral or wealthy strangers. Wealthy strangers were perceived to be more intelligent, to make better grades, to make friends more easily, and to embody other positive traits to a greater degree than neutral or poor strangers. Contrary to findings in other studies, however, poor individuals were not perceived to be lazy or to mishandle money. No interactions were found between affluence-based character judgments and the sex or age of subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Confronting dilemmas in the study of character.

Distinctive dilemmas in the psychoanalytic study of character are described. What they are and how they have been addressed illuminate the past achievements and some of the future directions of clinical research.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Personality dimensions measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in subjects with social phobia.

The present study investigated personality dimensions by means of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in subjects with social phobia with or without a co-existing avoidant personality disorder. Thirty-one individuals with social phobia were recruited through advertisement and diagnosed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV I and II psychiatric disorders. Comorbid Axis I psychiatric disorders were diagnosed in 29% of the cases. Co-occurring personality disorders were present in 55.8% of the cases, and avoidant personality disorder in 48.4%. The social phobia subjects, as compared to healthy controls of the same age, scored significantly higher in the TCI dimension measuring Harm avoidance but significantly lower in Persistence, Self-directedness, Cooperativeness and Self-transcendence. Presence of avoidant personality disorders in the social phobia subjects was associated with significantly higher Harm avoidance, particularly on the subscale Shyness with strangers. In conclusion, individuals with social phobia were characterized by high comorbidity of avoidant personality disorder and deviations in TCI personality dimensions. Enhanced Harm avoidance was the most prominent personality trait. The observed deviations in TCI dimensions were primarily related to the social phobia itself and not to the presence of concurrent personality disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

The DRD4 gene and the spiritual transcendence scale of the character temperament index.

Two hundred male subjects (81 college students and 119 subjects from an addiction treatment unit) were administered the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and genotyped at the 48 base pair repeat polymorphism of the DRD4 gene. Subjects were divided by genotype into those carrying any < 4 repeat allele, those homozygous for the 4 repeat allele, and those with any > 4 repeat allele. The total MANCOVA of seven TCI summary scores, with age and diagnostic group as covariates, was significant (P < or = 0.001). The largest effect was with self-transcendence (P < or = 0.001). The total MANCOVA for the three self-transcendence subscores was significant (P < or = 0.017), with the spiritual acceptance subscore showing the most effect (P < or = 0.001, power = 0.91). These results suggest the DRD4 gene may play a role in the personality trait of spiritual acceptance. This may be a function of the high concentration of the dopamine D4 receptor in the cortical areas, especially the frontal cortex.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Personality disorders and relationship to personality dimensions measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The occurrence of personality disorders was investigated in 36 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder by means of the SCID Screen questionnaire. In addition, the personality dimensions were explored by means of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). In total, 75% of the patients fulfilled the criteria for a personality disorder according to the SCID Screen questionnaire, mostly (55%) within cluster C. Several significant correlations were found between the separate personality disorders (PD) and subscales of the TCI, the most pronounced being between avoidant and obsessive-compulsive PD and novelty-seeking and self-directedness. Strong correlations were also found between self-directedness and paranoid and borderline PD. In multiple regressions where the presence of PD in clusters A, B and C, respectively, were used as dependent variables and where the separate subscales of the TCI were used as independent variables, the multiple R reached 0.68, 0.76 and 0.80 in clusters A, B and C, respectively. Thus 46-64% of the variance in the personality disorder clusters could be explained by the TCI subscales.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

The Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R): psychometric characteristics of the French version.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the psychometric characteristics of a modified version of the Cloninger's personality questionnaire, the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R). METHOD: A 482-subject sample, including clinical and non-clinical subjects, completed the TCI-R. We performed principal component analyses and explored the factorial structure of the questionnaire, and the internal consistency of each dimension. RESULTS: The factorial structure of the TCI-R was well defined as expected and similar to those shown with the TCI. Robust factors were obtained for Reward Dependence and Persistence in the TCI-R, even more clearly than in the original TCI. All dimensions obtained higher alpha Cronbach coefficients with the TCI-R than with the TCI. We obtained highly satisfying reliability coefficients in test-retest and TCI/TCI-R comparisons. CONCLUSION: The TCI-R seems to have similar psychometric and feasibility characteristics as those of the initial version, but with significant improvements in terms of factorial structure and internal consistency of most dimensions.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

The influence of social desirability on the Ai3 measure of anal character.

The probability of item endorsement in the Ai3 test of anal character was found to be significantly related to item social desirability, but total scores on the test were unrelated to measures of social desirability. It is concluded that the test is adequately free of social desirability effects and that the experimental findings strengthen claims for the construct validity of the Ai3.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Psychology. The nature of personality: genes, culture, and national character.

Personality traits have a strong genetic foundation, are highly stable over time, and predict important societal outcomes, including health and occupational success. In his Perspective, Robins discusses Terracciano et al.'s finding that cultures differ somewhat in aggregate personality levels but those differences are not accurately reflected in stereotypes about national character. Robins discusses reasons why national stereotypes are inaccurate, as well as broader issues concerning individual and cultural sources of variation in personality.

Character↗
PubMed2001

Season of birth variations in the temperament and character inventory of personality in a general population.

BACKGROUND: Since several studies show season of birth variations in morbidity, suicidal behavior and CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) monoamine metabolites, we investigated season of birth variations in personality in the population. METHODS: We analyzed by multiple logistic regressions the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) for 2,130 individuals taking part in the Betula prospective random cohort study of Umeå, Sweden. RESULTS: The personality dimensions were correlated significantly with age and gender. We stratified the data according to age, gender and the season of TCI measurement. By the median split in each stratum, a high-value group and a low-value group were obtained for each of the personality dimensions. Those born during February to April were significantly more likely than those born during October to January to have high NS (novelty seeking) among women, particularly the subscale NS2 (impulsiveness vs. reflection), and to have high PS (persistence) among men. Temperament profiles also showed season of birth variations. CONCLUSIONS: We discuss the associations in the literature between personality and the monoamines serotonin and dopamine, and suggest that our results are compatible with a hypothesis of season of birth variation in the monoamine turnover. The personality traits are likely to be influenced by several genetic and environmental factors, one of them being the season of birth.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Alexithymia and the temperament and character model of personality.

OBJECTIVE: In our study we explored the associations between alexithymia (Toronto Alexithymia Scale 20, TAS-20) and the dimensions and subscales of Cloninger's theoretically based and empirically validated psychobiological model of personality to further clarify the relationship between alexithymia and personality traits. METHODS: Psychiatric in- and outpatients (n = 254) were investigated with the TAS-20, the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Symptom Check List SCL-90-R to control for the severity of current psychopathology. Correlation and regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: The regression analysis identified the TCI dimensions low self-directedness (SD), low reward dependence (RD) and to a minor degree harm avoidance (HA) as independent predictors for alexithymia. At the level of subscales, interpersonal detachment (RD3), low resourcefulness (SD3), low responsibility and blaming (SD1) and shyness with strangers (HA3) were predictors for alexithymia. The degree of explained variance of the TAS-20 scores by the TCI dimensions and subscales ranged between 43 and 45% whereas the inclusion of the general severity index into the regression models accounted for an additional 5% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: Alexithymia is best explained by a mixture across different dimensions and subscales within Cloninger's psychobiological model of personality. However, alexithymia is captured only partly by current concepts of personality, and additional contributing psychological and biological factors need to be identified to understand alexithymia more extensively.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Combining the Rorschach test and the Temperament Character Inventory: a new perspective on personality assessment.

BACKGROUND: The numerous reports on research involving the clinical assessment of personality in axis I disorders highlight the importance of temperament features in the current approach to all mental disorders. However, the available instruments of personality assessment have many limits. Self-administered questionnaires depend on the patient's insight, and projective instruments (i.e. the Rorschach test) often lack objectivity. This study compared the results of personality assessment with the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Rorschach test to verify their validity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: TCI and Rorschach tests were administered to a wide sample of patients (n = 180) in a short period. The most common Rorschach siglatures were correlated with the TCI raw scores using the Pearson correlation test. RESULTS: All TCI temperament dimensions and facets displayed at least two correlations with Rorschach siglatures. The description of each dimension and facet of the TCI obtained with the interpretation of Rorschach siglatures was consistent with its original meaning. CONCLUSIONS: The TCI and Rorschach tests adequately validated each other. In the future, the administration and integration of these tests will overcome the biases of both. Further, the theoretical bases of the TCI could facilitate the study of psychological functions, whereas the psychodynamic bases of the Rorschach test provide an in-depth insight into temperament traits.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Polymorphisms in the serotonin transporter and monoamine oxidase A genes and their relationship to personality traits measured by the Temperament and Character Inventory and NEO Five-Factor Inventory in healthy volunteers.

The associations between 5-HTT-linked polymorphic region (5-HTT-LPR), monoamine oxidase A (MAOA)-LPR and the dimensions of temperament evaluated using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) were studied. One hundred healthy volunteers (without psychiatric disorders) were recruited to represent a cross-section of the population of Szczecin (Poland) in terms of sex, age and education. No associations between 5-HTT-LPR and the TCI harm avoidance dimension and between 5-HTT-LPR and the NEO-FFI neuroticism dimension were found. Males carrying the 3-VNTR MAOA gene variant (209 bp) had significantly lower values on the NEO-FFI openness dimension (p = 0.039) and obtained higher scores on the subdimension 3 of the TCI reward dependence (RD3), i.e. attachment vs. detachment (p = 0.005). Individuals carrying the 'short' variant of 5-HTT-LPR had lower values on the reward dependence dimension and the RD4 subdimension (dependence vs. independence) than individuals not carrying the 'short' variant (p = 0.039 and p = 0.011, respectively). Females carrying the 'short' variant had lower values on NS1 (exploratory excitability vs. stoic rigidity) and RD4 (dependence vs. independence) than those not carrying the variant (p = 0.042 and 0.043, respectively). The obtained level of significance with respect to the observed associations between 5-HTT-LPR and the reward dependence scales and subscales and between 5-HTT-LPR and the NS1 subscale are too weak for further interpretation. Our results do not confirm the hypothesis that there is a simple correlation between single gene polymorphisms and a personality trait measured by the TCI and NEO-FFI scales.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Disaster at Buffalo Creek. Family and character change at Buffalo Creek.

Psychiatric evaluation teams used observations of family interaction and psychoanalytically oriented individual interviews to study the psychological aftereffects of the 1972 Buffalo Creek disaster, a tidal wave of sludge and black water released by the collapse of a slag waste dam. Traumatic neurotic reactions were found in 80% of the survivors. Underlying the clinical picture were unresolved grief, survivor shame, and feelings of impotent rage and hopelessness. These clinical findings had persisted for the two years since the flood, and a definite symptom complex labeled the "Buffalo Creek syndrome" was pervasive. The methods used by the survivors to cope with the overwhelming impact of the disaster--first-order defenses, undoing, psychological conservatism, and dehumanization--actually preserved their symptoms and caused disabling character changes.

Character↗
PubMed1996

Character and psychotherapy.

Psychoanalytic theory of psychopathology began as a theory of particular pathogenic agents in the form of repressed memories or drive-generated fantasies. It has developed in the direction of a theory of the mind's organization; that is, a theory of character pathology. A characterological understanding of psychopathology enlarges therapeutic attention beyond the patient's verbal references and toward the patient himself in the "here and now."

Character↗
PubMed2002

Theoretical reflections on Wilhelm Reich's Character Analysis.

The ideas contained in Wilhelm Reich's Character Analysis, while very influential, have not been thoroughly exploited in psychoanalysis and psychotherapy. These ideas, aimed particularly at producing genuine change rather than mere intellectual understanding, are reexamined. Further implications of them are discussed.

Character↗
PubMed2004

Some evidence about character and mate selection.

The authors conducted four studies (total N = 292) about character and mate desirability. In Study 1, undergraduates judged stimuli for attractiveness-physically and as a casual or longterm date. The target was described as faithful, having cheated but stayed with mates, or having cheated and left. Contrary to the hypothesis, men and women were equally affected by both kinds of cheaters. Study 2 replicated Study 1 with nonstudent adults. In Study 3, undergraduates rated a stimulus on the same attractiveness variables. This target had $14 million from winning a lottery or selling a dot-com company. Women, but not men, found the dot-com creator to be more physically attractive than the lottery winner. In Study 4, undergraduates rated someone who sold a cookie-making company or profited from a lucky real estate transaction. Both men and women preferred the cookie-company seller on all three measures of attractiveness.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Relationship between specialty choice and medical student temperament and character assessed with Cloninger Inventory.

BACKGROUND: Multiple variables affect medical specialty choice, including temperament, sociodemographic factors, and personal experiences. Many studies address specific variables for specific specialties, but few assess the relative impact of each factor. PURPOSE: To identify the relative influence of temperament in choosing a specialty. METHODS: A sociodemographic and personal experiences questionnaire and a 240-question temperament and character inventory was distributed to 682 medical students. Their scores for 6 medical specialties were examined using analyses of variance, multivariate analyses of variance, and discriminant analysis. RESULTS: Students choosing surgery, emergency medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology were higher on novelty seeking than other students. Future surgeons were lower in harm avoidance and reward dependence (RD) than the others. Students choosing primary care specialties, emergency medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology were all high on RD; with pediatrics being highest. Students differed from college students, the women differed from the men, and the Asian Americans differed from the other groups. CONCLUSION: The implications of these findings are discussed for career counseling and future research.

Adult↗