title: Hopelessness, temperament, and health perception in heroin addicts.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate temperament, hopelessness (a measure of suicide risk), and health perception in heroin addicts. The study involved the administration of the TEMPS-A Rome, the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), the MINI Neuropsychiatric Interview, and the Multidimensional Health Questionnaire. Participants were 100 heroin addicts who were matched by age and sex with 100 randomly selected non-users. Heroin addicts obtained higher scores on TEMPS-A Dys/Cyc/Anx temperament and on the irritable temperament. In the heroin addicts, anxiety, depression, preoccupation with health, health illness self-blame, health monitoring, and negative thinking about health were positively associated with hopelessness, dysthymic/anxious/cyclothymic temperament, and irritable temperament. Motivation to avoid unhealthiness, health assertiveness, health expectation optimism, and health satisfaction were negatively associated with hopelessness, dysthymic/anxious/cyclothymic temperament, and irritable temperament. More knowledge on health attitudes in heroin addicts may help in delivering a treatment plan for this selective population.
authors.affiliation: The Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Functions, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iliceto
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pompili
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Girardi
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lester
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vincenti
authors.forename: Zoltan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Rihmer
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tatarelli
authors.forename: Hagop S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Akiskal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D015897:Comorbidity; D003527:Cyclothymic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology; D013694:Temperament