Temperament and personality features in patients with major depression, panic disorder and mixed conditions.
METHODS
Forty-two patients with Panic Disorder (P), 18 with Major Depression (MD), 35 with both conditions (MIX) and 45 healthy subjects (C) were tested with the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire and the Structured Interview for DSM-III-R Personality Disorders.


RESULTS
A different prevalence of Dependent (P = 16.7%, MD = 5.6%, MIX = 41.4%, C = 2.1%) (P < 0.001), Obsessive-Compulsive (P = 4.8%, MD = 27.8%, MIX = 3.4%, C = 0%) (P < 0.001) and Histrionic (P =23.8%, MD = 0%, MIX = 31%, C = 4.2%) (P = 0.001) personality disorders (PD) was found among groups. Harm Avoidance (HA) (P < 0.001) and Reward Dependence (RD) (P <0.001) were higher in patients than in controls. As expected the patients with comorbid conditions (MIX) showed higher HA levels (P < 0.01) and a greater prevalence of PDs, particularly of Cluster C compared to patients with pure disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that high HA and RD scores are associated with P, MD and MIX, and the former dimension is even higher in MIX patients.
Ampollini
P
P
Istituto di Clinical Psichiatrica, Università di Parma, Italy.
Marchesi
C
C
Signifredi
R
R
Ghinaglia
E
E
Scardovi
F
F
Codeluppi
S
S
Maggini
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament / Q000502:physiology*