RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The relationship between temperament and sexual orientation has been poorly characterized. We have used the Affective and Emotional Composite Temperament (AFECT) model to evaluate this association in a large population sample. METHODS: Data from 16,571 subjects between 21 and 45 years old (mean age=29.1±6.3 yrs, 69.4% females) was collected anonymously through Internet in Brazil. RESULTS: Regarding affective temperaments, male cyclothymics and dysphorics had the lowest percentage of people with heterosexual orientation and the highest percentages of people with bisexual and homosexual orientations. The opposite profile was observed in hyperthymic and euthymic types. Among females, the volatile, cyclothymic, apathetic, disinhibited and euphoric types were less often observed in people with "pure" heterosexual orientation and more often in people with bisexual orientation. In men only, homosexuality was more common among the depressive, cyclothymic and dyphorics temperaments. Emotional trait analysis showed that heterosexual subjects differed statistically from all other groups by having higher scores of coping and stability and lower scores of sensitivity and desire. Overall, the effect sizes were small to moderate, with the largest differences between "pure" heterosexuals and people with bisexual orientation, particularly in women. Subjects with heterosexual orientation who have had homosexual experience and those with homosexual orientation presented intermediate scores. LIMITATIONS: Cross-sectional design, lack of potentially important covariates (e.g., maltreatment) and data collected by Internet only. CONCLUSION: Externalized and unstable traits were associated mainly with bisexuality. The group of heterosexuals with homosexual fantasies or experiences offers a new approach for the study of sexual orientation.
Assuntos
Transtorno Ciclotímico/epidemiologia , Transtorno Ciclotímico/psicologia , Comportamento Sexual/psicologia , Comportamento Sexual/estatística & dados numéricos , Temperamento , Adulto , Apatia , Brasil/epidemiologia , Fatores de Confusão Epidemiológicos , Estudos Transversais , Emoções , Euforia , Feminino , Humanos , Internet , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Being bullied has been increasingly recognized as a risk factor for the development of psychiatric disorders, but there is very limited evidence on the association of bullying with temperament. METHODS: The data was collected in a large web-survey on psychological and psychiatric measures (BRAINSTEP). Bullying was assessed with a question on time exposed to bullying (none, <1 year, 1-3 years and >3 years) during childhood and adolescence. Emotional traits and affective temperaments were evaluated with the Affective and Emotional Composite Temperament Scale (AFECTS). The final sample consisted of 50,882 subjects (mean age 30.8 ± 10.4 years, 73.4% females) with valid answers. RESULTS: About half of the sample reported exposure to bullying and â¼10% reported being victimized by peers for longer than 3 years. Longer exposure to bullying was associated with lower Volition, Coping and Control scores, and more Emotional Sensitivity, Anger and Fear, with statistical significance between all groups. To a lower degree, exposure to bullying was associated with lower Caution and higher Desire scores. Bullying victimization was also associated with a much lower proportion of euthymic and hyperthymic types in both genders, which was compensated by an increase mainly in the proportion of depressive, cyclothymic and volatile types. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective assessment of bullying with a single question on time exposed to bullying and use of self-report instruments only. CONCLUSIONS: Being bullied was associated with a broad and profound impact on emotional and cognitive domains in all dimensions of emotional traits, and with internalized and unstable affective temperaments.
Assuntos
Bullying/psicologia , Vítimas de Crime/psicologia , Transtorno Ciclotímico/epidemiologia , Emoções , Temperamento , Adolescente , Adulto , Criança , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Estudos Retrospectivos , Fatores de Risco , Autorrelato , Fatores de Tempo , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Tobacco use has been associated with externalized personality traits. Our aim was to evaluate the association of smoking with emotional and affective temperaments in a large sample. METHODS: In this cross-sectional web-based survey, volunteers completed the Combined Emotional and Affective Temperament Scale (CEATS), which assesses emotional (fear, drive, anger, and control) and affective temperaments (e.g. cyclothymic, irritable), and questions about smoking. RESULTS: Among the 5379 subjects (1370 males), there were 60% non-smokers, 17% quitters and 23% current smokers. Non-smokers had higher fear and control and lower anger than quitters and smokers, and higher drive than smokers. Quitters had higher drive and control and lower anger than smokers. Smoking was lower among apathetics, depressives, euthymics and hyperthymics and higher in cyclothymics and labiles. Lower drive and higher anger were associated with heavier smoking. Less adaptive temperament was related to higher prevalence of and heavier smoking. LIMITATIONS: The data was collected from a convenience sample by the internet, and most volunteers assessed the instrument through a psychoeducational website for bipolar spectrum disorders, leading to a higher proportion of cyclothymics; the assessment of smoking habits was limited to two questions; the study was cross-sectional. CONCLUSIONS: Smoking was associated with lower fear, control and drive, higher anger and unstable externalized affective temperaments. Lower control and higher anger were associated with being a heavy smoker and current smoking. Assessment of temperament may help decision about treatments for smoking cessation.
Assuntos
Afeto , Emoções , Fumar/psicologia , Temperamento , Adaptação Psicológica , Adulto , Ira , Apatia , Estudos Transversais , Transtorno Ciclotímico/epidemiologia , Transtorno Ciclotímico/psicologia , Impulso (Psicologia) , Medo , Feminino , Inquéritos Epidemiológicos , Humanos , Inibição Psicológica , Controle Interno-Externo , Internet , Humor Irritável , Masculino , Transtornos Mentais/tratamento farmacológico , Transtornos Mentais/epidemiologia , Transtornos Mentais/psicologia , Inventário de Personalidade , Psicotrópicos/uso terapêutico , Medição de Risco , Fumar/epidemiologia , Abandono do Hábito de Fumar/psicologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of affective temperaments between clinically unaffected relatives of bipolar patients and secondarily to investigate the impact of these "subaffective" forms on their quality of life (QoL). METHODS: The study was performed in seven sites across Argentina. We administered the scales TEMPS-A and Quality of Life Index to a sample of 114 non-ill first degree relatives of bipolar disorder patients ("cases") and 115 comparison subjects without family history of affective illness ("controls"). We used The Mood Disorder Questionnaire to rule out clinical bipolarity. RESULTS: Mean scores on all TEMPS-A subscales were significantly higher in cases, except for hyperthymia. The prevalence of affective temperaments, according to Argentinean cut-off points, was also higher, with statistical significance for cyclothymic and anxious temperaments. Regarding QoL, we found no significant differences between both groups, except for interpersonal functioning, which was better in controls. A detailed subanalysis showed significant effects of QoL domains for all temperaments, except for the hyperthymic. LIMITATIONS: We used self-report measures. A larger sample size would have provided us greater statistical power for certain analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the concept of a spectrum of subthreshold affective traits or temperaments - especially for the cyclothymic and anxious - in bipolar pedigrees. We further demonstrated that, except for the hyperthymic, quality of life was affected by these temperaments in "clinically well" relatives. Overall, our data are compatible with the "endophenotype" and "subaffective" theses for affective temperaments.