The contribution of temperament, childhood neglect, and abuse to the development of personality dysfunction: a comparison of three models.
We examined the contribution of temperament, childhood neglect, and abuse to the development of personality dysfunction as postulated in three different but correlated models of personality: the psychobiological, Vaillant's psychoanalytic, and DSM psychopathology models. Character, defense style, and personality disorder symptomatology (the dependent variables), and temperament, childhood neglect, and abuse (the independent variables) were assessed in 168 depressed outpatients. High harm avoidance (temperament) tended to be the strongest and most consistent risk factor across the three models. Deficient parental care predicted personality dysfunction, however low care was not consistently predictive across all three models. Emotional/psychological abuse and actual physical abuse were risk factors for increasing personality disorder symptomatology only. Childhood sexual abuse was not as predictive of personality dysfunction as might be expected, thereby raising questions as to the importance placed on child sexual abuse as a general risk factor for personality psychopathology.
Carter
J D
JD
Department of Psychological Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine, P.O. Box 4345, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Joyce
P R
PR
Mulder
R T
RT
Luty
S E
SE
D000328:Adult; D002605:Character; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010553:Personality Development; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011574:Psychoanalytic Theory; D011599:Psychopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013694:Temperament