Personalidade e percepção de stress em bombeiros

RESUMO: O objectivo deste estudo consistiu na obtenção de dados que ajudem a melhor compreender as diversas correlações entre traços de personalidade e a percepção de stress em bombeiros, de modo a que seja possível identificar factores desencadeantes de stress, bem como traços de personalidade que reforcem positiva ou negativamente esses mesmos factores . A amostra é constituída por 302 bombeiros pertencentes a corporações das regiões do Ribatejo e da Extremadura, sendo que todos os participantes desempenham funções de bombeiro voluntário ou profissional/efectivo. De entre os bombeiros participantes 238 são do sexo masculino e 64 são do sexo feminino tendo idades compreendidas entre os 17 e os 73 anos (m= 32,75 ; dp=9,309). As medidas utilizadas neste estudo são as seguintes: Marlow-Crowne Social Desirability Scale – Short Form C (MCSDS-C) de Ballard (1992), para a avaliação da desejabilidade social; Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) de Cohen, Kamarck & Mermelstein (1983), para a avaliação do stress e o Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) de Costa & McCrae (1992) , para a avaliação da personalidade. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram associações significativas entre as dimensões da personalidade, nomeadamente o neuroticismo, a extroversão, a abertura à experiência e a conscienciosidade, e o stress. Verificaram-se correlações positivas entre as dimensões de neuroticismo e abertura à experiência relativamente ao stress, ao invés das dimensões de extroversão e conscienciosidade que por sua vez se correlacionaram negativamente com o stress. Este estudo demonstra também que os bombeiros profissionais(efectivos apresentam um mais elevado nível de stress comparativamente aos bombeiros pertencentes à categoria de voluntários, tal como os bombeiros com nove ou menos anos na função comparativamente aos bombeiros com mais de nove anos na função. Verificou-se também que os bombeiros do sexo masculino apresentam menos índices de stress comparativamente aos do sexo feminino. ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to obtain data can help us to better understand the various correlations between personality traits and the perception of stress in firefighters in order to identify trigger stress factors and personality traits which increase positively or negatively these same factors. The sample consists of 302 firefighters belonging to corporations within the regions of Ribatejo and Extremadura, being that all participants are either professional/effective or volunteer firefighters. Among the participating firefighters 238 are males and 64 are females, having aged between 17 and 73 years (m=32.75; dp=9.309). The measures used in this study are the following: Marlow-Crowne Social Desirability Scale – Short Form C (MCSDS-C) by Ballard (1992), for the assessment of social desirability; Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) by Cohen, Kamarck & Mermelstein (1983), for the assessment of stress and the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI-R) by Costa & McCrae (1992) , for the assessment of personality. The results obtained showed significant associations between the personality dimensions of neuroticism, extraversion, openness and conscientiousness, and stress. The dimensions of neuroticism and openness are positively correlated to stress, on the other hand, the dimensions of extraversion and conscientiousness are negatively correlated to stress. Results also show that professional/effective firefighters have a higher level of stress as compared to volunteer firefighters as do firefighters with nine or fewer years in function compared with firefighters with more than nine years in function. It was also noted that male fire fighters present minor stress levels comparatively to female firefighters.

Personalidade e Transplante

A associação entre o tipo de personalidade e vários aspectos relacionados com a doença médica tem sido objecto de abundante investigação. Os modelos teóricos de personalidade que, hoje em dia, são mais utilizados neste contexto são de dois tipos: o modelo de três factores (Neuroticismo, Extroversão e Psicoticismo) e o modelo de 5 factores (neuroticismo e extroversão, a conscenciosidade, agradabilidade, e a abertura à experiência). Os modelos que relacionam a personalidade com a doença médica situam-se entre três tipologias: Hiperreactividade induzida pela personalidade, Predisposição constitucional e Comportamentos deletérios induzidos pela personalidade. Na avaliação da personalidade no doente médico pode optar-se por vários tipos de abordagem: Abordagem Taxonómica vs Dimensional; Auto vs Hetero avaliação; Instrumentos específicos para uma população vs Inespecíficos. São explorados os argumentos que favorecem as várias formas de abordagem. Entre os vários instrumentos disponíveis para avaliar a personalidade destacam-se o NEO-PI nas suas diferentes versões (NEO-PI original, NEO-PI-R, NEO-FFI-60). O NEO-PI-R e o NEO-FFI-60 estão validados para a população portuguesa. Dos poucos estudos disponíveis sobre personalidade no transplante foi possível concluir que o neuroticismo se associava a uma menor qualidade de vida (física, mental, social) no período pós-transplante e a extroversão a uma maior qualidade de vida (física, social), que a personalidade de tipo D se associava a uma pior qualidade de vida e uma maior mortalidade e taxa de rejeição após o transplante e que as perturbações de personalidade não estavam relacionadas com um aumento da taxa de recaída no consumo de álcool em doentes transplantados por doença hepática alcoólica.

Validation de la version française du questionnaire I7 d'impulsivité. Influence de la personnalité, du sexe et de la religion = Validation of the french version of the eysenck's impulsiveness questionnaire (I7). Influence of personality, gender, and religion

L'objectif de cette étude est de vérifier la validité interne de la version française du questionnaire d'impulsivité d'Eysenck (I7), traduite par Dupont et al., sur un échantillon d'étudiants suisses (n = 220). Dans leur questionnaire, Eysenck et Eysenck proposent trois échelles : les deux premières évaluant deux composantes distinctes de l'impulsivité (l'Impulsivité caractérisant les individus qui agissent sans penser, sans être conscients des risques associés à leurs actions, et la Recherche d'aventure caractérisant les individus qui agissent en étant conscients, et en tenant compte des risques associés à leurs actions), et la troisième servant de « distracteur » (l'Empathie caractérisant les individus qui ont la faculté de s'identifier à l'autre). La structure à trois facteurs de l'instrument a été confirmée par notre analyse factorielle en composantes principales. La solution factorielle retenue n'explique toutefois qu'une faible proportion de la variance (21.9 %). L'homogénéité interne des échelles, mesurée à l'aide d'alphas de Cronbach, est acceptable pour l'échelle d'Impulsivité (.78) et de Recherche d'aventure (.71), mais elle est, en revanche, faible pour l'échelle d'Empathie (.62). Les échelles de l'I7 d'Eysenck entretiennent des corrélations cohérentes avec les cinq grandes dimensions de la personnalité mesurées par le NEO PI-R. L'Impulsivité est associée négativement à la dimension Conscience (r = - .32), alors que la Recherche d'aventures est associée positivement à la dimension Extraversion (r = .33). Le sexe a un impact sur les échelles Recherche d'aventure et Empathie. Les qualités métrologiques de la version française du questionnaire d'impulsivité d'Eysenck (I7) sont satisfaisantes, mais l'estimation d'autres indices de validité, comme la fidélité test-retest et la validité convergente, devrait être réalisée.

Dimensionality of the Rosenberg self-esteem scale and its relationships with the three- and five-factor personality models

The authors investigated the dimensionality of the French version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES; Rosenberg, 1965) using confirmatory factor analysis. We tested models of 1 or 2 factors. Results suggest the RSES is a 1-dimensional scale with 3 highly correlated items. Comparison with the Revised NEO-Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R; Costa, McCrae, & Rolland, 1998) demonstrated that Neuroticism correlated strongly and Extraversion and Conscientiousness moderately with the RSES. Depression accounted for 47% of the variance of the RSES. Other NEO-PI-R facets were also moderately related with self-esteem.

La personnalité comme facteur prédictif des symptômes comportementaux et psychologiques chez les patients qui présentent des troubles cognitifs légers

Background and Aims: Both personality changes and behavioural and psychological symptoms (BPS) may be associated with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in later life and help identify incipient dementia. We wished to investigate the links between personality and BPS in MCI. Method: We studied premorbid personality traits as estimated five years back and their changes in 83 control subjects and 52 MCI patients using the NEO-PI-R for the Five-Factor Model completed by a proxy. Information on BPS was obtained using the Neuropsychiatrie Inventory (NPI). Analyses were controlled for current depression and anxiety. Results: premorbid neuroticism and openness to experience were associated with the total NPI score. The changes in neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experiences, and conscientiousness were associated with apathy and affective symptoms. Conclusions: Personality changes and BPS occur in MCI. The occurrence of affective BPS and apathy is associated with both premorbid personality and their changes. - Cette thèse a eu pour objectif d'étudier l'impact des traits de la personnalité sur le développement de symptômes comportementaux et psychologiques (SCP) chez des personnes qui présentent de troubles cognitifs légers (Mild Cognitive Impairment ou MCI) par rapport à un groupe de sujets contrôle en bonne santé sans troubles cognitifs. Cette thèse s'est s'inserite dans une étude plus large regroupant des aspects neuropsychologiques, génétiques et des marqueurs structuraux cérébraux d'imagerie chez les mêmes participants. La découverte d'un MCI a un impact important en soulevant la question d'éventuels traitements préventifs et de modification du cours d'un trouble ou d'une maladie sous-jacente. Les manifestations cliniques, notamment les SCP, sont source de souffrance chez le patient et les proches et la première cause d'institutionnalisation. Connaître les liens entre la personnalité et les SCP chez les patients qui présentent un MCI s'avère primordial si l'on veut les détecter précocement et favoriser un traitement mieux adapté, tant pharmacologique que psychothérapeutique, pour tenter de freiner leur impact sur l'évolution de la maladie. Nous avons comparé 52 patients MCI avec 83 sujets contrôles. La personnalité au moment de l'étude et estimée rétrospectivement à cinq ans en arrière a été évalué par un proche à l'aide du NEO-PI-R, principal instrument basé sur le Five Factor Model. Pour évaluer la présence de SCP nous avons utilisé l'inventaire neuropsychiatrique (NPI-Q). Les analyses ont étés contrôlées en tenant compte des principales variables confondantes. Le groupe MCI présente des traits de personnalité prémorbide différents de ceux des participants contrôles avec des niveaux inférieurs d'ouverture à l'expérience, d'agréabilité et de conscience. Les changements de personnalité sont marqués chez les MCI avec une augmentation du névrosisme et une diminution de l'extraversion et de la conscience. La personnalité est restée stable chez le groupe contrôle. Le groupe MCI présente souvent des SCP, en particulier des symptômes affectifs (dépression, anxiété, irritabilité, troubles du sommeil) et de l'apathie tandis que les SCP sont presqu'inexistantes chez le groupe contrôle. Les valeurs de névrosisme plus élevés et l'ouverture à l'expérience plus basses sont associées à la présence de SCP. En plus, le changement de la personnalité, à savoir l'augmentation du névrosisme et la diminution de conscience sont associées à la présence de SCP, aux symptômes affectifs et à l'apathie. La diminution d'extraversion et d'ouverture à l'expérience sont associées à la présence de SCP, aux symptômes affectifs mais pas à l'apathie. Cette étude montre que la personnalité change déjà au stade de MCI et que l'apparition des SCP affectifs et de l'apathie est précoce. Certains profils prémorbides et changements de personnalité sont associés à la présence de SCP. L'évaluation de ces changements peut favoriser le diagnostic précoce des troubles cognitifs. Des études prospectives sur des patients MCI sont essentielles afin d'approfondir la compréhension des facteurs de risque liés à la personnalité sur le déclin cognitif et les SCP associés.

Validation de la version française de l'échelle de contrôle de Levenson (IPC), influence de variables démographiques et de la personnalité

We have examined the internal validity of the Levenson's locus of control scales (IPC, Internal, Powerful others and Chances), translated by Loas et al. (1994). The impact of different demographic variables on the Levenson's locus of control scales was assessed. After, we studied the relation between the IPC scales and the NEO PI R, personality inventory that measures the big five. A large sample (n=200) of subjects of different age, gender and profession and a sample of Swiss students (n=161) responding anonymously were used. The reliability of the IPC scale is acceptable. The analyses of the impact of the demographic variables show that gender and level of education have an influence on the I (intern) scale. Age, gender, level of education and profession have an impact on the P (powerful others) scale. The analyses of the relationship between locus of control and personality showed that there was a negative correlation between I (intern) and Neuroticism and a positive correlation between I and Extraversion and Consciousness. The P (powerful others) scale correlate positively with Neuroticism and negatively with Openness and Agreability. The C scale (chance) correlate positively with Neuroticism. Our study also gives the researchers and the practitioner a reference score table according to the gender, the age, the level of education and the profession.

Personality profiles of cultures: Aggregate personality traits

Personality profiles of cultures can be operationalized as the mean trait levels of culture members. College students from 51 cultures rated an individual from their country whom they knew well (N 12,156). Aggregate scores on Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) scales generalized across age and sex groups, approximated the individual-level 5-factor model, and correlated with aggregate self-report personality scores and other culture-level variables. Results were not attributable to national differences in economic development or to acquiescence. Geographical differences in scale variances and mean levels were replicated, with Europeans and Americans generally scoring higher in Extraversion than Asians and Africans. Findings support the rough scalar equivalence of NEO-PI-R factors and facets across cultures and suggest that aggregate personality profiles provide insight into cultural differences.

Structural and mean level analyses of the Five-Factor Model and Locus of Control: Further evidence from Africa

The present study examines the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality and locus of control in French-speaking samples in Burkina Faso (N = 470) and Switzerland (Ns = 1,090, 361), using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and Levenson's Internality, Powerful others, and Chance (IPC) scales. Alpha reliabilities were consistently lower in Burkina Faso, but the factor structure of the NEO-PI-R was replicated in both cultures. The intended three-factor structure of the IPC could not be replicated, although a two-factor solution was replicable across the two samples. Although scalar equivalence has not been demonstrated, mean level comparisons showed the hypothesized effects for most of the five factors and locus of control; Burkinabè scored higher in Neuroticism than anticipated. Findings from this African sample generally replicate earlier results from Asian and Western cultures, and are consistent with a biologically-based theory of personality.

Personality disorders and the Five-Factor Model among French speakers in Africa and Europe

Objective: Several authors have suggested that Personality Disorders (PDs) might be more accurately described using a dimensional model instead of a categorical one. The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between PDs and the Five-Factor Model (FFM)-a dimensional model describing normal personality traits known for its invariance across cultures-in two different cultural settings. Method: Subjects from nine French-speaking African countries (n = 2,014) and from Switzerland (n = 697) completed both the French-version of the IPDE screening questionnaire, assessing the ten DSM-IV PDs, and the French-version of the NEO-PI-R, assessing the five domains and thirty facets of the FFM. Results: Correlations between PDs and the five domains of the FFM were similar in both samples. For example, Neuroticism was highly correlated with Borderline, Avoidant, and Dependent PDs in both Africa and Switzerland. The total rank-order correlation (rho) between the two correlation matrices was very high (rho = 0.93) and significant (P < 0.001), as were the rhos for all domains of the FFM and all PDs, except Paranoid and Dependent PDs. However, the rhos for PDs across facet-scales were all highly significant (P < 0.001). Moreover, 80% of Widiger and colleagues' predictions and 70 % of Lynam and Widiger's prototypes, concerning the relationship between PDs and the FFM, were confirmed in both samples. Conclusions: The relationship between PDs and the FFM was stable in two samples separated by a great cultural distance. These results suggest that a dimensional approach and in particular the FFM might be useful for describing PDs in a variety of cultural settings.

The evolution of personality in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Aims: To describe personality traits and their changes in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and control subjects. Methods: Sixty-three MCI and 90 control subjects were asked to describe their current personality traits by the Structured Interview for the Five-Factor Model (SIFFM). For each subject, a close relative retrospectively assessed these descriptions both as to the previous and current personality traits, using the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, Form R (NEO-PI-R). Results: Self-assessed MCI subjects reported significantly lower scores in the openness dimension than control subjects [F(1, 150) = 9.84, p = 0.002, ηp(2) = 0.06]. In current observer ratings, MCI subjects had higher scores on neuroticism [F(1, 137) = 7.55, p = 0.007, ηp(2) = 0.05] and lower ones on extraversion [F(1, 137) = 6.40, p = 0.013, ηp(2) = 0.04], openness [F(1, 137) = 9.93, p = 0.002, ηp(2) = 0.07], agreeableness [F(1, 137) = 10.18, p = 0.002, ηp(2) = 0.07] and conscientiousness [F(1, 137) = 25.96, p < 0.001, ηp(2) = 0.16]. Previous personality traits discriminated the groups as previous openness [odds ratio (OR) = 0.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.95-0.99, p = 0.014] and conscientiousness (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.98, p = 0.001) were negatively related to MCI group membership. In MCI subjects, conscientiousness [F(1, 137) = 19.20, p < 0.001, ηp(2) = 0.12] and extraversion [F(1, 137) = 22.27, p < 0.001, ηp(2) = 0.14] decreased between previous and current evaluations and neuroticism increased [F(1, 137) = 22.23, p < 0.001, ηp(2) = 0.14], whereas no significant change was found in control subjects. Conclusions: MCI subjects undergo significant personality changes. Thus, personality assessment may aid the early detection of dementia. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Translation and validation of the Ten-Item-Personality Inventory into spanish and catalan

In response to an increasing need for ever-shorter personality instruments, Gosling, Rentfrow, and Swann (2003) developed the Ten-Item-Personality Inventory (TIPI), which measures the dimensions of the Five Factor Model (FFM) using 10 items (two for each dimension) and can be administered in about one minute. In two studies and using a multi-judge (self and observer) and multi-instrument design, we develop Spanish (Castilian) and Catalan versions of the TIPI and evaluate them in terms of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent, discriminant, and content validity, as well as self-observer correlations. Test-retest correlations were strong, and convergence with the NEO-PI-R factors was significant. There were also strong correlations between observer ratings and the participants’ self-ratings. Despite some inconsistencies with respect to the Agreeableness scale, the Catalan translation and both translations into Spanish of the original TIPI demonstrated sufficient psychometric properties to warrant use as a Five Factor personality measure when the use of longer instruments is not convenient or possible. Furthermore, as the first translation of a brief standard Big Five Instrument into Catalan, this work should facilitate future research on personality in the Catalan-speaking population.

Personality traits are associated with acute major depression across the age spectrum.

Objectives: Psychological predictors, such as personality traits, have aroused growing interest as possible predictors of late-life depression outcome in old age. It remains, however, unclear whether the cross-sectional relationship between personality traits and depression occurrence reported in younger samples is also present in the elderly. Methods: Comparisons amongst 79 outpatients with DSM-IV major depression and 102 healthy controls included assessment of the five-factor model of personality (NEO PI-R), socio-demographic variables, physical health status, as well as depression features. Two sub-groups were considered, defined as young (25-50 years) and old (60-85 years) patients. Results: Depressed patients showed significantly higher levels of Neuroticism and lower levels of Extraversion, Openness to Experience and Conscientiousness compared to controls. Sequential logistic regression models confirmed that the combination of increased physical burden, levels of dependency, and increased Neuroticism strongly predicts the occurrence of acute depressive symptoms. In contrast, the levels of Neuroticism did not allow for differentiating late-life from young age depression. Increased physical burden and decreased depression severity were the main predictors for this distinction. Conclusion: Our data indicate that personality factors and depression are related, independently of patients' age. Differences in this relationship are mainly due to the intensity of depressive symptoms rather than the patients' life period. They also stress the need to consider physical health, level of dependency and severity of symptoms when studying the relationship between personality traits and mood disorders.

Relaciones entre la estructura del 16PF-5 y el modelo de cinco grandes factores de personalidad

Este estudio fue diseñado para evaluar las relaciones del 16PF-5 y el modelo de Cinco Grandes factores de personalidad evaluado a partir de un listado de adjetivos unipolares propuestos por Goldberg (1992). Mediante sucesivos análisis factoriales se obtuvo un listado de 40 adjetivos, 8 para cada uno de los Cinco Grandes, que presentaron una estructura robusta y una consistencia interna aceptable. Al comparar los cinco factores del 16PF-5 con los Cinco Grandes, mediante análisis correlacionales y factoriales, se observa que Surgencia (Extraversión), Neuroticismo (Ansiedad) y Responsabilidad (Auto-Control) son dimensiones muy parecidas en ambos instrumentos y coincidentes con los resultados obtenidos por otros autores entre el NEO-PI, NEO-PI-R y el 16PF. Las dimensiones de Extraversión e Independencia del 16PF-5 están muy relacionadas entre sí, en cambio Independencia y Dureza tienden a relacionar más con el factor de Intelecto de Goldberg. Se estudian tres estructuras factoriales de 3, 4 y 5 factores a partir de los cinco factores de segundo orden de Cattell y los cinco factores de Goldberg. Se discute sobre la equivalencia de ambas estructuras.

Do parents and children know each other? A study about agreement on personality within families

Se estudiaron las relaciones entre autoevaluaciones y heteroevaluaciones de cuestionarios de personalidad en contextos familiares españoles. 336 matrimonios evaluaron la personalidad de uno de sus hijos. Al mismo tiempo, cada hijo se autoevaluaba. Se aplicaron los marcadores de Goldberg. En una segunda muestra, 120 estudiantes universitarios evaluaron la personalidad de ambos padres. Al mismo tiempo, ambos padres se autoevaluaron. Se aplicaron los marcadores de Goldberg y el NEO-PI-R. Se replica el grado de acuerdo encontrado en otras culturas, siendo las correlaciones entre autoevaluaciones y heteroevaluaciones de alrededor de 0.40, y con tamaños del efecto de las diferencias de medias no grandes. Se observa que: 1) los hijos son más acertados que los padres; 2) el grado de acuerdo es más alto para el NEO-PI-R que para los marcadores de Goldberg, especialmente en el factor de Apertura a la Experiencia; y 3) la variable sexo no afectó a los resultados. Se discuten las implicaciones y las limitaciones del presente estudio.

Cribatge de simptomatologia depressiva en població universitària catalana : associació amb perfil de personalitat i branca de coneixement dels estudis cursats

La simptomatologia depressiva és una problemàtica incapacitant i freqüent en la població dels països occidentalitzats, tot i que existeix notable disparitat entre les xifres aportades per diferents treballs. Al nostre entorn, a més, no ha estat estudiada en població universitària. La relació de la simptomatologia depressiva amb determinats trets de personalitat, fonamentalment el neuroticisme, ha estat reportada àmpliament en la literatura; tanmateix, no existeixen estudis recents en el nostre entorn, i també hi ha incertesa en la relació entre personalitat i tipologia d’estudis universitaris. Estudi descriptiu transversal amb una mostra de 156 estudiants de primer curs de les branques de coneixement d’enginyeries, humanitats, ciències socials i ciències de la salut de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, els quals han estat avaluats amb el Beck Depression Inventary (BDI) i el test de personalitat NEO PI-R