Basic personality model

Maladaptive personality traits are associated with burnout risk in Italian anesthesiologists and intensivists: a secondary analysis from a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Burnout is a maladaptive response to chronic stress, particularly prevalent among clinicians. Anesthesiologists are at risk of burnout, but the role of maladaptive traits in their vulnerability to burnout remains understudied.

METHODS

A secondary analysis was performed on data from the Italian Association of Hospital Anesthesiologists, Pain Medicine Specialists, Critical Care, and Emergency (AAROI-EMAC) physicians. The survey included demographic data, burnout assessment using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and subscales (emotional exhaustion, MBI-EE; depersonalization, MBI-DP; personal accomplishment, MBI-PA), and evaluation of personality disorders (PDs) based on DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition) criteria using the assessment of DSM-IV PDs (ADP-IV). We investigated the aggregated scores of maladaptive personality traits as predictor variables of burnout. Subsequently, the components of personality traits were individually assessed.

RESULTS

Out of 310 respondents, 300 (96.77%) provided complete information. The maladaptive personality traits global score was associated with the MBI-EE and MBI-DP components. There was a significant negative correlation with the MBI-PA component. Significant positive correlations were found between the MBI-EE subscale and the paranoid (r = 0.42), borderline (r = 0.39), and dependent (r = 0.39) maladaptive personality traits. MBI-DP was significantly associated with the passive-aggressive (r = 0.35), borderline (r = 0.33), and avoidant (r = 0.32) traits. Moreover, MBI-PA was negatively associated with dependent (r =  - 0.26) and avoidant (r =  - 0.25) maladaptive personality features.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a significant association between different maladaptive personality traits and the risk of experiencing burnout among anesthesiologists. This underscores the importance of understanding and addressing personality traits in healthcare professionals to promote their well-being and prevent this serious emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion state.

Which emotion regulation strategy is efficient for whom? Reappraisal and suppression efficiency for adaptive and maladaptive personality profiles

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the efficiency of different emotion regulation strategies, specifically reappraisal and suppression, in relation to adaptive and maladaptive personality profiles.

BACKGROUND

Personality conditions emotions and influences emotion regulation. Of the available regulation strategies, reappraisal (reinterpreting the situation) is described as an efficient strategy, whereas suppression (not displaying the experienced emotion) carries higher physiological and cognitive costs. Little is known, however, about the influence of personality on these efficiencies.

METHOD

We tested the personality structure of 102 participants (Meanage = 20.75, SDage = 2.15), based on the Five-Factor Model and the Maladaptive Personality Trait Model. Experience, expressivity, and physiological arousal were recorded during the viewing of emotionally charged positive and negative images while participants reappraised, suppressed, or viewed the images without regulating their emotions.

RESULTS

We identified two clusters for adaptive personality ("Adaptive Resilient" and "Anti-resilient") and two for maladaptive personality ("Maladaptive Resilient" and "Under-controlled"). The major finding was for emotional experience in maladaptive personalities, where reappraisal was efficient in the Maladaptive Resilient profile, while none of the strategies brought relief in the Under-controlled profile.

CONCLUSION

This study, which systematically contrasts personality and efficiency of emotion regulation strategies, is one of the first attempts to refine the understanding of how personality influences the emotional regulation process.

Incremental Influence of Betrayal Trauma and Personality Traits on PTSD Symptoms

Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common reactions to trauma. One factor that influences the manifestation of PTSD symptoms is the type of trauma experienced. Traumas perpetrated by someone on whom the trauma survivor trusts and relies on for support (i.e., betrayal traumas) are especially predictive of PTSD symptoms. However, the degree to which this is true differs somewhat across men and women. Another factor that influences PTSD symptoms is personality, which is most often operationalized in terms of discrete personality traits. Among these traits, Neuroticism (the tendency to experience negative affect) is linked to a wide range of psychological dysfunction in general and to PTSD symptoms in particular. However, there is little research on how trauma type and personality differentially influence PTSD symptoms. To address this gap, in this study we examined the incremental effects of traumas with varying degrees of betrayal and personality traits on PTSD symptoms in a sample of college students (N = 276) using a Bayesian approach to multiple regression. Results suggest that Neuroticism and trauma at all levels of betrayal were associated with higher levels of PTSD symptoms, although this differed across sex. These results are consistent with previous research that identifies Neuroticism as a risk factor for a wide range of mental health problems and clarifies earlier findings on betrayal trauma.

Dimensions of pathological narcissism and intention to vote for Donald Trump

Pathological narcissism is a term often applied to former President Donald Trump, but it has been less examined as a potential predictor of voting for him. Trump projects a grandiose and omnipotent self-image during press conferences and rallies, and his followers at these events often respond with both effusive admiration and an inflated sense of their own self-regard, all of which are aspects of narcissism. However, while Trump's personal narcissism has been well documented, there is little research on the narcissism of his supporters. In this study we conducted an exploratory analysis examining the hierarchical structure of pathological narcissism and which aspects of narcissism within that structure were associated with intended voting for Trump in the 2020 U.S. presidential election in a sample of U.S. residents collected online (N = 495) using Amazon's Mechanical Turk. Results indicated that an eight-echelon hierarchy best fit the data. Within this hierarchy, antagonistic and indifferent aspects of narcissism within the fifth echelon best predicted intended voting for Trump over and above relevant demographic variables. These results have implications for the study of narcissism and, especially given the results of the 2020 election, the degree to which one can make use of narcissistic aspects of personality in political contests.

Influence of personality traits on college women's appraisals of intimate partner violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a common traumatic stressor for young adult women and results in a number of problems for those who experience it. The appraisals women make of IPV influence the degree of distress they experience in the aftermath of IPV. Research suggests that personality traits may influence IPV appraisals, although there are relatively few studies of this. In this study, we examine the association between Five Factor Model personality traits (i.e., Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Openness) and appraisals of IPV in a sample of young adult women in college who experienced IPV (N = 241) using a Bayesian approach to multiple regression. Results suggest that Agreeableness, Extraversion, and Neuroticism predicted different styles of appraisals over and above the effect of IPV severity. Study findings clarify previous research on the role of personality traits in the response to IPV and suggest directions for future research.

Comorbid personality disorders and their impact on severe dissociative experiences in Mexican patients with borderline personality disorder

Objective: To identify personality disorders comorbid with borderline personality disorder (BPD) that may confer greater risk for the presence of severe dissociative experiences. Method: Three hundred and one outpatients with a primary diagnosis of BPD were evaluated using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II personality disorders, the Borderline Evaluation of Severity Over Time (BEST) and the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). Results: The most frequent personality disorders comorbid to BPD were paranoid (83.2%, n = 263) and depressive (81.3%, n = 257). The mean BEST and DES total score were 43.3 (SD = 11.4, range 15-69) and 28.6 (SD = 19.8, range 0-98), respectively. We categorized the sample into patients with and without severe dissociative experiences (41% were positive). A logistic regression model revealed that Schizotypal, Obsessive-compulsive and Antisocial personality disorders conferred greater risk for the presence of severe dissociative experiences. Discussion: Our results suggest that a large proportion of patients with BPD present a high rate of severe dissociative experiences and that some clinical factors such as personality comorbidity confer greater risk for severe dissociation, which is related to greater dysfunction and suffering, as well as a worse progression of the BPD.

A Multidimensional Approach to Post-concussion Symptoms in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) presents a substantial burden to patients, families, and health care systems. Whereas, recovery can be expected in the majority of patients, a subset continues to report persisting somatic, cognitive, emotional, and/or behavioral problems, generally referred to as post-concussion syndrome (PCS). However, this term has been the subject of debate since the mechanisms underlying post-concussion symptoms and the role of pre- and post-injury-related factors are still poorly understood. We review current evidence and controversies concerning the use of the terms post-concussion symptoms vs. syndrome, its diagnosis, etiology, prevalence, assessment, and treatment in both adults and children. Prevalence rates of post-concussion symptoms vary between 11 and 82%, depending on diagnostic criteria, population and timing of assessment. Post-concussion symptoms are dependent on complex interactions between somatic, psychological, and social factors. Progress in understanding has been hampered by inconsistent classification and variable assessment procedures. There are substantial limitations in research to date, resulting in gaps in our understanding, leading to uncertainty regarding epidemiology, etiology, prognosis, and treatment. Future directions including the identification of potential mechanisms, new imaging techniques, comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessment and treatment options are discussed. Treatment of post-concussion symptoms is highly variable, and primarily directed at symptom relief, rather than at modifying the underlying pathology. Longitudinal studies applying standardized assessment strategies, diagnoses, and evidence-based interventions are required in adult and pediatric mTBI populations to optimize recovery and reduce the substantial socio-economic burden of post-concussion symptoms.