title: Affective temperaments are associated with higher hopelessness and perceived disability in patients with open-angle glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aims of the study were to study: (i) affective temperaments in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) patients with some degree of functional visual impairment; (ii) psychological well-being and perceived disability, and their associations with affective temperaments; and (iii) associations between visual impairment, affective temperaments and psychological well-being.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 91 outpatients (39 women, and 52 men) with open-angle glaucoma (OAG) who were assessed for Visual Field Index, Mean Defect and Pattern Standard Deviation. Patients were also administered the Beck Hopelessness Scale, the TEMPS-A (Rome), the Gotland Male Depression Scale, the Emotional Well-being Scale, the Perceived Disability Questionnaire and the Suicidal History Self-Rating Screening Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Open-angle glaucoma patients (compared with a non-clinical sample of university students) had higher scores on the TEMP-A dysthimic and hyperthimic traits and lower scores on cyclothimic, irritability and anxiety traits. Such temperament variability was not linked to differences in severity of glaucoma. We did not find strong evidence supporting the fact that measures of visual impairment were linked to emotional well-being and depression. However, logistic regression analysis revealed that patients may have different patterns related to their illness according to specific temperaments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with OAG may have different temperament profiles than non-clinical individuals. Such categorisation may be useful for predicting how they face the illness, for providing better care as well as for early recognition of mood disorders symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Clinic of the Sant'Andrea Hospital of Rome, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scuderi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pompili
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Innamorati
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pasquale
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pontremolesi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Erbuto
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mazzeo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Venturini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lester
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Serafini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tatarelli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Girardi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001294:Attitude to Health; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013694:Temperament; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000523:psychology