title: Response to light therapy in seasonal affective disorder: personality disorders and temperament as predictors of outcome.
abstract: Outcome after 6 days of morning light therapy in subjects fulfilling criteria for winter seasonal affective disorder (SAD) was examined. Responders had significantly fewer previous episodes of SAD. Patients with a diagnosis of any DSM-III-R, axis II personality disorder, were significantly less likely to respond to light therapy than patients without axis II pathology. Poor treatment outcome was also significantly associated with: one or more personality disorders in cluster C, avoidant personality disorder, high number of positive criteria for self-defeating personality disorder and high score on the harm avoidance scale of the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire. Temperament accounted for 25% of the variance in treatment outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Oslo, Gaustad Hospital, Norway.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Reichborn-Kjennerud
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lingjaerde
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010789:Phototherapy; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D016574:Seasonal Affective Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D013694:Temperament; D016896:Treatment Outcome