Luty S E, Joyce P R, Mulder R T, Sullivan P F, McKenzie J M
Department of Psychological Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine, New Zealand.
Depress Anxiety. 1998;8(4):154-9.
To examine the relationships between dimensions of personality assessed by using the Temperament and Character Inventory and presenting problem areas in Interpersonal Psychotherapy.
One hundred two depressed patients completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), and Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) problem areas were assessed using a clinician-rated questionnaire.
Following multiple regression analysis, patients rated as having problems with grief scored low on self transcendence, those with disputes had low cooperativeness, those with role transitions had low novelty seeking, and those with deficits had low reward dependence.
Both temperament and character may be relevant to the nature of presenting problems related to Interpersonal Psychotherapy. An understanding of how personality is relevant to presenting interpersonal problems may provide both a framework and a focus with which to work in this form of psychotherapy.