title: Temperament and character in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis and with first-episode schizophrenia: associations with psychopathology, psychosocial functioning, and aspects of psychological health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The psychobiological model of temperament and character indicates that personality traits are heritable and, during development, constantly influence one's susceptibility to schizophrenia. Our objective was to evaluate temperament and character in subjects at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis and individuals with first-episode schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  UHR for psychosis subjects (n = 50), first-episode schizophrenia patients (n = 33), and normal controls (n = 120) were compared on temperament and character dimensions, and correlation analysis of each personality dimension with psychopathologies, global and social functioning, and self-esteem. General and social self-efficacy reports were conducted. UHR subjects were followed-up for 24 months and the baseline personality dimensions were compared between the converted and non-converted groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both clinical groups showed abnormal personality traits in terms of temperament (higher harm avoidance, lower reward dependence and persistence) and character (lower self-directedness and cooperativeness). Psychosocial functioning and psychological health components were found to be correlated with some personality dimensions. The conversion rate of overt psychotic disorder was 25.0% at the 24-month follow-up. Baseline cooperativeness dimension was a significant predictive dimension for conversion into overt psychosis in the UHR group during the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with first episode schizophrenia have a pervasively altered personality profile from normal controls. More importantly, this altered personality profile already emerged in putative prodromal, UHR individuals. The present findings indicate that certain personality traits can play a protective or vulnerable role in developing schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Mental Health Hospital, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea; Section of Affect and Neuroscience, Institute of Behavioral Science in Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yun Young
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jee In
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Se Joo
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mi Kyung
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Suk Kyoon
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: An
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002605:Character; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010551:Personality / Q000502:physiology*; D062706:Prodromal Symptoms; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D012306:Risk; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013694:Temperament / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult