S. Loschi, M. Marini, E. Marchiori, L. Pavan - Vol. 8, March 2002, Issue 1
Testo Immagini Bibliografia Summary Indice
Personalità, temperamento e legame
parentale: studio su pazienti affetti da Disturbo di Panico e controlli
Personality, temperament and parental bonding: a study on patients affected
by Panic Disorder and controls
Objectives
The aim of the study was to assess Axis I and II (DSM IV) comorbidity in a sample of patients affected by Panic Disorder (PD) and to compare these patients with a group of controls in relation to several variables, including psychological dependence, parental bonding and temperament.
Methods
The sample was composed of 37 subjects attending the general psychiatry out-patient clinic of Padova University (19 males and 18 females; mean age = 30.73+/-9.71) with an Axis I (DSM IV) diagnosis of PD. The following instruments were administered: Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI, version 4.4); Structured Clinical Interview (SCID-II, version 2.0), Dependence Self-Rating Scale (DSRS), Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ), Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). The control group was composed of 44 subjects (20 males and 24 females; mean age 30.4+/-7.3) attending a voluntary caregiver course. The GHQ (General Health Questionnaire) was administered to exclude mental disorders from the control group.
Results
The sample achieved significantly higher scores than the controls on the Harm Avoidance item of the TPQ temperamental dimension. Over half of PD cases presented at least one Personality Disorder, the most frequent being Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The sample of subjects affected by PD was assessed according to gender and comorbid Depression and Personality Disorders. Significant differences in TPQ (temperament), DSRS (psychological dependence) and PBI (parental bonding) scores were found for the related subgroups.
Conclusions
The only factor differentiating the sample from the controls was the Harm Avoidance dimension of the TPQ, which seemed to be increased by comorbid depression. Our findings support the hypothesis that the effects of parental bonding are associated with the development of Personality Disorders or comorbid anxiety-depression.
Several differences in gender also emerged indicating that females with PD are more depressed-dependent than males, although their presyndromic status and the implications of Personality are not yet clear.