Regulative theory of temperament versus affective temperaments measured by the temperament evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A): a study in a non-clinical Polish sample

Abstract

backgroundThis study investigates the relationship between temperament traits postulated by Strelau's regulative theory of temperament (RTT) and Akiskal's affective temperaments. This study represents the first attempt to compare these two concepts in a non-clinical Polish sample. participants and procedureThe study involved 615 healthy Caucasian adults (395 women and 220 men) aged from 17 to 69 years (M = 30.79, SD = 9.69). Temperament traits postulated by the RTT were assessed with the Formal Characteristics of Behaviour-Temperament Inventory. The Polish version of the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego Auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A) was used to assess affective temperaments (depressive, cyclothymic, hyperthymic, irritable and anxious). resultsEmotional reactivity and perseveration (RTT) positively correlated with anxious, cyclothymic, depressive and irritable temperaments (TEMPS-A), predicting from 2% (irritable temperament) to 24% (anxious temperaments) of the variance in the affective temperaments. Hyperthymic temperament (TEMPS-A) positively correlated with briskness, sensory sensitivity, endurance and activity (RTT). Activity was the best predictor of hyperthymic temperament, accounting for 25% of the variance. TEMPS-A scores showed that women were more depressive, cyclothymic and anxious and less hyperthymic than men. conclusionsThese results suggest that two RTT traits, emotional reactivity and perseveration, may be related to all the affective temperaments of TEMPS-A, except hyperthymic temperament, which is most likely linked to the RTT activity trait.

Sex, affective temperaments and information stress

“…As Rihmer et al [22] have found, depressive, cyclothymic and anxious temperaments are more frequent in women, whereas hyperthymic and irritable temperaments predominate among men. Other authors have confirmed these results [17,19]. Experiences, skills and age have been indicated among the personal factors that contribute to information overload and its consequences, unlike sex or personality traits [1].…”

“…Mazure and Maciejewski [39] suggested that women might rate higher on 2 cognitive styles defined as "concern about disapproval" and "need for control" than men, so they might be at a greater risk of affective disorders than men due to these cognitive styles, both in the absence and in the presence of stressful life events. In general, women experienced significantly greater emotional reactivity than men [40] and achieved higher scores on the affective temperaments scales, with the exception of hyperthymic (more "adaptive") temperament which was higher in men than women [17,19]. The identification of the negative emotions dominating in other than hyperthymic, i.e., depressive, cyclothymic, irritable and anxious affective temperaments, may help explain these results.…”

“…The main purpose of the study was to investigate the association between sex and the level of information stress, as mediated by affective temperaments. Taking into account the fact that women are more sensitive to anxiety stimuli and show a higher level of affective temperament, compared to men [17,19,22], the authors hypothesized that sex might affect the level of information stress directly and indirectly, through the mediation of the affective temperaments. The authors expected that anxious temperament would play a crucial role in the mediation between sex and the level of information stress, and they assumed that individuals with high rates of anxious temperament would experience more stress and react strongly emotionally to stressors due to their uncontrollable worrying, hypervigilance, tension, and irritability [27].…”

“…In turn, Kwapil et al [18] showed that 5 factor personality model traits accounted for 38% (irritable temperament) to 49% (hyperthymic temperament) of the total variance in affective temperaments. Also, Oniszczenko et al [19] demonstrated that 2 temperamental traits, emotional reactivity and perseveration, positively correlated with anxious, cyclothymic, depressive and irritable temperaments, predicting 2% (irritable temperament) to 24% (anxious temperaments) of the variance in affective temperaments. Emotional reactivity and perseveration are the traits conducive to intense emotional response and prolonged emotional arousal, respectively [20].…”

Affective temperaments in nicotine-dependent and non-nicotine-dependent individuals

“…The females exhibited more depressive, cyclothymic and anxious temperaments than the males did, whereas the males exhibited more hyperthymic temperaments than the females did. No significant difference was found between the genders for irritable temperament (see also Blӧink et al, 2005;Borkowska et al, 2010;Oniszczenko, Stanisławiak, Dembińska-Krajewska, & Rybakowski, 2016;Vázquez, Tondo, Mazzarini, & Gonda, 2012).…”