Direct and Indirect Symptom Severity Indicators of Alcohol Dependence and the Personality Concept of the Biosocial Model

Abstract

Temperament and character factors are strongly related to the developmental, clinical, and treatment aspects of alcohol dependence. This study had the aim of revealing the underlying personality structure and individual differences in the symptoms of alcohol dependence measured by multiple severity indicators. Patients with alcohol dependence exhibited higher levels of novelty seeking and harm avoidance, and lower levels of persistence, self-directedness, and cooperativeness. Especially novelty seeking was connected with more severe alcohol dependence. These characteristics could be useful targets of interventions and Temperament and Character Inventory is therefore a useful measurement to identify patients with more severe alcohol-related problems.

Keywords :

• Alcohol dependence
• Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI)
• novelty seeking
• severity of alcohol-related problems

THE AUTHORS

Bálint Andó is a clinical psychologist at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Szeged, Hungary. Besides clinical practice his research interest is mainly focused on addictology. He is working on the Hungarian Guideline for the Treatment of Alcohol Dependence, and as a researcher he focuses on personality and neurocognitive correlates of alcohol dependence.

Sándor Rózsa, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Personality and Health Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary. His interests lie mainly in psychological testing and measurement of individual differences. His research is focused on validity of self-reports (e.g., social desirability, response set, and performance style), and assessment of affective disorders and its personality correlates.

Eszter Kurgyis completed her M.A. in Psychology at the Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary. Her main research interest is the bio-psycho-social and neuropsychological background of alcohol dependence. She makes her research studies at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Szeged.

Andrea Szkaliczki, M.D. graduated from the University of Szeged, Faculty of Medicine in 2007. She gained her specialty in psychiatry in 2012. She works as a clinical psychiatrist at the University of Szeged, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry. Her main research interest is suicidal behavior and related bio-psycho-social alterations.

Ildikó Demeter, M.D. is specialized in psychiatry, neurology and addictionology. She is head of the Addictionology Unit at the Department of Psychiatry Szeged, Hungary. Her main scientific interests are alcohol use in women and comorbid depression and crisis situations during depression.

Petronella Szikszay, M.D. is specialized in psychiatry, addictionology and rehabilitation. She is engaged in the treatment of substance dependent patients since 1980. She applies psychotherapical approach, individual and family therapeutical techniques during her work. She is the professional head of the rehabilitation department in Szigetvár, Hungary, which is functioning based on the Minnesota Model for 25 years.

Zsolt Demetrovics, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist specialized in addictions. He is director of the Institute of Psychology at the Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary and head of the Department of Clinical Psychology & Addiction at the same Institute. He has published numerous research papers on the epidemiology and psychological background of chemical and behavioral addictions. He also serves as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Behavioral Addictions.

Zoltán Janka was born in 1949. His elementary and secondary schools were in Jászberény, Hungary, and he graduated in the Lehel Vezér Grammar-school in 1968. After receiving the medical doctoral diploma at the Szeged University Medical School, Hungary, he got a tenure at the Department of Neurology and Psychiatry of this university (later as Albert Szent-Györgyi University Medical School, and again as University of Szeged). He became professor and chair of this department in 1993, and after separation, the chairman of Department of Psychiatry. He did specializations in neurology and psychiatry. He got scientific degrees as PhD in 1986, habilitation in 1996, and Doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (DSc) in 2006. Between 1980–82 he worked as a postdoctoral fellow in Perth, Australia. Further educations were made in Sweden (1987) and in England (1991). Focuses of his scientific interests are the molecular and pharmacodynamic aspects of the biological underpinnings of mental disorders. He held 922 lectures; the number of his scientific publications is 320, with a cumulative impact factor 461.232. Twelve students obtained PhD under his supervision. For scientific and teaching activities he received numerous grants, scholarships, and merits. He got teaching awards from students (14 times) and from the Medical Faculty (4 times). For publications he received the scientific awards I.Hollós, Medicina, and G.Nyírő (twice). He was elected as an Hononary Citizen of Jászberény City in 2007. For medical work the László Batthyány-Strattmann Award was given to him in 2009, and a Presidential Praise by the Albert Szent-Györgyi Clinical Center in 2012. For teaching he was merited with Frigyes Kulka Medal and Award in 2012 by the Medical Faculty.

Péter Z. Álmos, MD, is a psychiatrist at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Szeged, Hungary. As a clinical researcher he is interested in the biological factors of mental disorders with a special emphasis on neurocognitive regulation. On the preclinical level he is focusing on human genomic variants and translational studies using animal models.

GLOSSARY

• Biosocial model of personality: Robert C. Cloninger built this comprehensive personality model. The model is based on four temperament factors and three character dimensions. The temperament factors are moderately inherited and relatively stable throughout life, whilst the character dimensions develop during life through social experience and influenced by learning.

• Direct addiction severity indicators: The quantity and frequency of alcohol use, the withdrawal phenomena, and the adverse consequences of drinking.

• Indirect addiction severity indicators: General lifestyle characteristics and personality traits often associated with substance abuse.

• Novelty seeking: Tendency to respond actively to novel stimuli.