Patterns of temperament and character in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder and their association with symptom severity

Yoon, Sujung J.; Jun, Chansoo S.; An, Hye-young; Kang, Hyoung Ryul; Jun, Tae-Youn

doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2008.08.003

« Previous Next »Comprehensive Psychiatry
Volume 50, Issue 3 , Pages 226-231, May 2009

Patterns of temperament and character in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder and their association with symptom severity

Sujung J. Yoon
- Department of Psychiatry, St Paul's Hospital and College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 150-713, Republic of Korea
Chansoo S. Jun
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital and College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea
Hye-young An
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital and College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea
Hyoung Ryul Kang
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital and College of Medicine, Seoul 110-744, Republic of Korea
Tae-Youn Jun
- Department of Psychiatry, St Mary's Hospital and College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 150-713, Republic of Korea
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +82 2 958 2025; fax: +82 2 964 4776.

published online 16 October 2008.

Abstract

Objectives

The aim of this study was to identify the patterns of temperament and character of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to explore the relationship between the patterns of temperament and character and PTSD symptoms severity.

Methods

Temperament and character features of 130 patients with PTSD (n = 65) and age and sex-matched healthy controls (n = 65) were evaluated using the Temperament and Character Inventory. Severity of PTSD symptoms and general anxiety symptoms was measured with the Impact of Events Scale–Revised (IES-R) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS).

Results

Patients with PTSD showed significantly higher scores on subscales of harm avoidance and self-transcendence and lower scores on self-directedness and cooperativeness compared to controls. Harm avoidance and self-transcendence scores were significantly associated with PTSD symptom severity as measured by IES-R but not with general anxiety symptom severity as measured by HARS.

Conclusions

Patterns of temperament and character of patients with PTSD were significantly different from those of healthy controls. In addition, these patterns are specifically associated with the PTSD symptom severity.