Personality Predictors of Drinking Outcomes in Depressed Alcohol-Dependent Patients.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the role of personality dimensions as predictors of drinking outcomes in depressed alcohol-dependent patients.


METHODS
Temperament and character inventory (TCI) scores were obtained at baseline in a 24-week study of 127 depressed alcohol-dependent patients who received open-label naltrexone and were randomized to citalopram or placebo. The association between TCI personality dimensions and alcohol outcomes during follow-up was examined using general linear mixed models.


RESULTS
Low novelty seeking, high self-directedness and high cooperativeness predicted less alcohol consumption on drinking days during follow-up. Temperament and character variables had no effect on the percentage of days abstinent from alcohol. Depression mediated the effects of self-directedness and cooperativeness on alcohol outcomes while the effect of novelty seeking remained after adjusting for depression scores in follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Identifying personality characteristics at baseline predicts drinking outcomes in depressed, alcohol-dependent patients. In particular patients with high novelty seeking drank more heavily on drinking days and they may therefore need more intensive intervention to achieve good treatment outcomes.
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand james.foulds@otago.ac.nz.
James A
JA
Foulds
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Roger T
RT
Mulder
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.
Giles
G
Newton-Howes
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Simon J
SJ
Adamson
Christchurch Health and Development Study, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Joseph M
JM
Boden
Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
J Douglas
JD
Sellman
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D002605:Character; D015283:Citalopram / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011379:Prognosis; D013694:Temperament; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D015283:Citalopram; D009271:Naltrexone