The effect of personality dimensions on functional outcomes in mood disorders

General personality dimensions, impairment and treatment response in obsessive-compulsive disorder

General personality dimensions are associated with clinical severity and treatment response in individuals with depression and many anxiety disorders, but little is known about these relationships in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Individuals in the current study included 705 adults with OCD who had participated in family and genetic studies of the disorder. Participants self-completed the Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness Personality Inventory or Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness Five-Factor Inventory-3. Relationships between personality scores, and subjective impairment and OCD treatment response, were evaluated. The odds of subjective impairment increased with (unit increase in) the neuroticism score (odds ratio, OR = 1.03; 95% CI = 1.01-1.04; p < 0.01) and decreased with extraversion scores (OR = 0.98; 95% CI = 0.96-0.99; p < 0.01). The odds of reporting a good response to serotonin/selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (OR = 1.02; 95% CI = 1.01-1.04; p < 0.01) or cognitive behavioural therapy (OR = 1.03; 95% CI = 1.01-1.05; p < 0.01) increased with the extraversion score. The magnitude of these relationships did not change appreciably after adjusting for other clinical features related to one or more of the personality dimensions. The findings suggest that neuroticism and extraversion are associated with subjective impairment, and that extraversion is associated with self-reported treatment response, in individuals with OCD. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Improving Functioning, Quality of Life, and Well-being in Patients With Bipolar Disorder

People with bipolar disorder frequently experience persistent residual symptoms, problems in psychosocial functioning, cognitive impairment, and poor quality of life. In the last decade, the treatment target in clinical and research settings has focused not only on clinical remission, but also on functional recovery and, more lately, in personal recovery, taking into account patients' well-being and quality of life. Hence, the trend in psychiatry and psychology is to treat bipolar disorder in an integrative and holistic manner. This literature review offers an overview regarding psychosocial functioning in bipolar disorder. First, a brief summary is provided regarding the definition of psychosocial functioning and the tools to measure it. Then, the most reported variables influencing the functional outcome in patients with bipolar disorder are listed. Thereafter, we include a section discussing therapies with proven efficacy at enhancing functional outcomes. Other possible therapies that could be useful to prevent functional decline and improve functioning are presented in another section. Finally, in the last part of this review, different interventions directed to improve patients' well-being, quality of life, and personal recovery are briefly described.