title: Effect of refractive error on temperament and character properties.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of refractive error on temperament and character properties using Cloninger's psychobiological model of personality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), the temperament and character profiles of 41 participants with refractive errors (17 with myopia, 12 with hyperopia, and 12 with myopic astigmatism) were compared to those of 30 healthy control participants. Here, temperament comprised the traits of novelty seeking, harm-avoidance, and reward dependence, while character comprised traits of self-directedness, cooperativeness, and self-transcendence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants with refractive error showed significantly lower scores on purposefulness, cooperativeness, empathy, helpfulness, and compassion (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.05, P<0.05, and P<0.01, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Refractive error might have a negative influence on some character traits, and different types of refractive error might have different temperament and character properties. These personality traits may be implicated in the onset and/or perpetuation of refractive errors and may be a productive focus for psychotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Yildirim Bayezid University, Ankara 06000, Turkey.
authors.forename: Emine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kalkan Akcay
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya 07123, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Canan
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Pamukkale University School of Medicine, Denizli 20070, Turkey.
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Simavli
authors.affiliation: Deparment of Ophthalmology, Erzurum Training and Research Hospital, Erzurum 25000, Turkey.
authors.forename: Derya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dal
authors.affiliation: Alcoholism and Drug Treatment and Rehab Center, Akdeniz University, Antalya 07123, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hacer
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yalniz
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Yildirim Bayezid University, Ankara 06000, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nagihan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ugurlu
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya 07123, Turkey.
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gecici
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Yildirim Bayezid University, Ankara 06000, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurullah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cagil
keywords: astigmatism; character; hyperopia; refractive error; temperament