title: Temperament and character traits in patients with conversion disorder and their relations with dissociation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to investigate temperament and character traits in patients with conversion disorder and the relation of these traits with dissociative symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients (60) diagnosed with conversion disorder according to DSM-IV-TR and 60 healthy volunteers were included in the study. All participants' temperament and character traits were determined using Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Patients with conversion disorder were divided into two subgroups using the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES), dissociative (n=30, 50%) and non-dissociative (n=30, 50%). The two conversion disorder subgroups were compared with the control group in terms of temperament and character traits. Correlation analysis was also performed between TCI and DES scores in the entire conversion group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Novelty seeking (NS) scores were lower in both the dissociative and non-dissociative groups compared to the control group. Harm avoidance (HA) scores were higher in the dissociative group than in the control group. Reward dependence (RD) scores were lower in the dissociative group than in the non-dissociative and control group. Self-directedness (SD) scores were lower in the dissociative group than in the control group. Self-transcendence (ST) scores were higher in the dissociative group than in the non-dissociative group. DES scores were negatively correlated with RD and SD scores in the entire conversion group and positively correlated with ST scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low NS temperament traits may be associated with conversion disorder. High HA and low RD temperament traits and low SD and high ST character traits may be associated with pathological dissociation in patients with conversion disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun, Turkey, gokhansarisoy@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sarisoy
authors.forename: Ö Mer Faruk
authors.initials: ÖM
authors.lastname: Kaçar
authors.forename: Arif
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Öztürk
authors.forename: Tuba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yilman
authors.forename: Sema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mor
authors.forename: Deniz Deniz
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Özturan
authors.forename: Neslihan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yazici
authors.forename: Kübra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gümüş
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002605:Character; D003291:Conversion Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D013694:Temperament; D055815:Young Adult