Temperament and character in violent schizophrenic patients.
Preliminary evidence shows that personality traits are important in determining violent behavior in schizophrenia. As only some patients with schizophrenia show a greater risk for violence, this risk may therefore be considered as dynamic, varying as a function of the extent to which certain personality dimensions are present and the degree to which environmental events moderate or exacerbate their expression.


OBJECTIVE
To compare temperament and character dimensions between violent and non-violent schizophrenic patients and to determine which temperament and character dimensions are predictors of violent behavior in schizophrenia.


METHODS
We recruited 102 schizophrenic patients without concomitant substance abuse 4 months prior to the assessment. Diagnoses were based on the SCID-I. Personality dimensions were assessed with the Temperament and Character Inventory and violent behaviors with the Overt Aggression Scale.


RESULTS
Higher levels of the temperament dimension novelty seeking and a lower cooperativeness, as a character dimension, were risk factors for violent behavior in schizophrenic patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data indicate that schizophrenic patients will show a greater risk for violence according to certain personality configurations and the degree to which environmental events moderate or exacerbate their expression.
Fresán
A
A
Clinical Research Division, National Institute of Psychiatry Ramón de la Fuente, Calz. México-Xochimilco 101, Mexico City, 14370 Mexico. fresan@imp.edu.mx
Apiquian
R
R
Nicolini
H
H
Cervantes
J J
JJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002605:Character; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013694:Temperament; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*