title: Dimensional personality traits and alcohol treatment outcome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify dimensional personality traits associated with treatment outcome for patients with an alcohol use disorder (AUD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials and longitudinal studies of ≥ 8 weeks in patients receiving treatment for AUD, in which the association between personality dimensions and treatment outcome was reported. Primary outcomes were relapse and alcohol consumption measures. Treatment retention was a secondary outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighteen studies, including 4783 subjects, were identified. Twelve studies used Cloninger's Temperament and Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) or Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Remaining studies used a broad range of other personality measures. Compared with non-relapsers, patients who relapsed had higher novelty-seeking [standardized mean difference in novelty-seeking score 0.28; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.12, 0.44], lower persistence (-0.30, 95% = CI -0.48, -0.12), lower reward dependence (-0.16, 95% CI = -0.31, -0.01) and lower cooperativeness (-0.23, 95% CI = -0.41, -0.04). Few studies reported on alcohol consumption outcomes, therefore findings for those outcomes were inconclusive. Lower novelty-seeking predicted better retention in treatment in two of three studies. Most studies reported findings only for those retained in treatment, and did not attempt to account for missing data; therefore, findings for the primary outcomes cannot be generalized to patients who dropped out of treatment. Studies using personality instruments other than the TCI or TPQ reported no consistent findings on the association between personality variables and treatment outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among patients receiving treatment for an alcohol use disorder, those who relapse during follow-up have higher novelty-seeking, lower persistence, lower reward dependence and lower cooperativeness than those who do not relapse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Foulds
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Giles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Newton-Howes
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Nicola H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Guy
authors.affiliation: Christchurch Health and Development Study, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Joseph M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Boden
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Roger T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Mulder
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Alcoholism; meta-analysis; personality; systematic review; temperament and character inventory; treatment outcome