Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka om olika personlighetsdrag kan relateras till risk för att utveckla en demenssjukdom. Studien har baserats på data från en longitudinellt populationsbaserad studie och totalt har 445 personer, i åldern 60 år och äldre, deltagit. Under studiens uppföljningstid diagnostiserades 67 deltagare med en demenssjukdom. Cox regressionsanalys användes för att undersöka ett eventuellt samband mellan personlighet och demens och ett flertal potentiella kovariater inkluderades i analyserna. Resultaten visade ett signifikant samband mellan personlighetsdraget Harm Avoidance (HA) och demens. Sambandet mellan HA och demens kvarstod även efter att samtliga kovariater inkluderats i analyserna. Resultatet tyder på att vissa personlighetsdrag kan öka risken för att utveckla demens men resultaten ska dock ses som preliminära då det är baserat på ett relativt litet sampel. / The aim of this study is to examine if different personality traits can be related to the risk of developing dementia. This study was based on data from a longitudinal population based research project, and includes a sample of 445 people aged 60 years and over. During the course of the study, 67 participants were diagnosed with dementia. Cox regression analysis was used to investigate a possible relationship between personality and dementia. A number of potential covariates were included in the analysis. The results showed a significant relationship between the personality trait Harm Avoidance (HA) and dementia. The relationship between HA and dementia remained after controlling for a range of possible covariates. The result from this study suggests that some personality traits may be associated with increased risk of developing dementia. However, the results from this study should be interpreted with caution due to the relatively small sample size.

No description available.

The master thesis deals with theories of temperament from the perspective of their linkages with biological essence of man. In theoretical chapters, it is examined how research of temperament has evolved over time, and there are presented the most important biology- oriented theories, ranging from classical antique temperaments, to Pavlov's differentiation of personalities according the reactivity of nervous system, and finally to Eysenck's, Gray's and Cloninger's modern theories of temperament. Empirical research is dedicated to the testing of interdependencies between temperamental questionnaires. 4Elements Inventory test based on an element approach theory and Cloninger's TCI-R test representing biological approach in temperament observation were analyzed on a research sample, and correlation and regression analysis was performed. If we have to assign the most similar dimensions of both tests to each other according to content analysis, we would expect relationships between the Harm Avoidance and Fire (negative), Novelty Seeking and Air, Reward Dependency and Water and Persistence and Earth. The relationship of Novelty seeking and Air (r = 0.73) and negative relationship of Harm Avoidance and Fire (r = -0.74) were confirmed as the strongest relationships. The correlation between Reward...

Tourism is one of the largest economic sectors globally. It is a climate sensitive sector, with climate being one of the most important attributes for a destination. The Tourism Climate Index (TCI), developed by Mieczkowski (1985), is the most widely used index for assessing a destination’s climatic suitability for general tourist activities. Major deficiencies such as the subjectivity of its rating system and component weightings have been identified in the literature, and the need to develop a new index has been identified by researchers for almost a decade. This study aims to fill the research gap by developing a new index, the Holiday Climate Index (HCI), for the purpose of overcoming the deficiencies of the TCI. The HCI was compared with the TCI in rating both current (1961-1990) and future (2010-2039, 2040-2069 and 2070-2099) climatic suitability for tourism of the 15 most visited European city destinations (London, Paris, Istanbul, Rome, Barcelona, Dublin, Amsterdam, Vienna, Madrid, Berlin, Stockholm, Warsaw, Munich, Athens and Venice). The results were also compared with monthly visitation data available for Paris to assess whether the HCI ratings more accurately represent visitation demand than the TCI. The results show that there are key differences between the HCI and TCI in rating the tourism climate suitability of the selected European city destinations, in particular in the winter months of the northern, western and eastern European city destinations where the performance of the TCI had been questioned in the literature. The comparison with leisure tourist visitation data in Paris also revealed that the ratings of the HCI were more reflective of seasonal pattern of tourist arrivals than the TCI ratings. Because the TCI has been widely applied (15 studies), these findings hold important implications for future research in assessing current and future climatic suitability for tourism.

Tourism is one of the largest economic sectors globally. It is a climate sensitive sector, with climate being one of the most important attributes for a destination. The Tourism Climate Index (TCI), developed by Mieczkowski (1985), is the most widely used index for assessing a destination’s climatic suitability for general tourist activities. Major deficiencies such as the subjectivity of its rating system and component weightings have been identified in the literature, and the need to develop a new index has been identified by researchers for almost a decade. This study aims to fill the research gap by developing a new index, the Holiday Climate Index (HCI), for the purpose of overcoming the deficiencies of the TCI. The HCI was compared with the TCI in rating both current (1961-1990) and future (2010-2039, 2040-2069 and 2070-2099) climatic suitability for tourism of the 15 most visited European city destinations (London, Paris, Istanbul, Rome, Barcelona, Dublin, Amsterdam, Vienna, Madrid, Berlin, Stockholm, Warsaw, Munich, Athens and Venice). The results were also compared with monthly visitation data available for Paris to assess whether the HCI ratings more accurately represent visitation demand than the TCI. The results show that there are key differences between the HCI and TCI in rating the tourism climate suitability of the selected European city destinations, in particular in the winter months of the northern, western and eastern European city destinations where the performance of the TCI had been questioned in the literature. The comparison with leisure tourist visitation data in Paris also revealed that the ratings of the HCI were more reflective of seasonal pattern of tourist arrivals than the TCI ratings. Because the TCI has been widely applied (15 studies), these findings hold important implications for future research in assessing current and future climatic suitability for tourism.

Introdução: O estudo da personalidade apresenta uma influência crescente no entendimento da heterogeneidade de transtornos psiquiátricos. O temperamento em particular parece contribuir para a grande variabilidade do TDAH. Tal associação é examinada neste estudo, fazendo parte de um projeto mais amplo que envolve desde as bases genéticas até a comorbidade e resposta a tratamento do TDAH. Artigo: Este estudo examina escores nas dimensões de temperamento do TCI em subtipos de TDAH em adultos. Cento e quarenta e seis pacientes (66 mulheres e 80 homens) foram recrutados através de informação na imprensa acerca de manifestações do TDAH para um programa de pesquisa. Os diagnósticos de TDAH foram realizados pelo DSM-IV e a avaliação do temperamento teve por base o TCI. Os pacientes foram divididos em dois subtipos de TDAH: desatento (N=52) e hiperativo/combinado (N=92). Os escores de temperamento foram então avaliados em análises de variância de dois fatores (sexo e subtipo), com correção para a idade. Os pacientes do subtipo hiperativo/combinado apresentaram escores mais altos em procura de novidades (P=0,033), enquanto os desatentos, uma tendência não significativa para escores maiores em dependência de premiação (P=0,064). Nas comparações entre os sexos, as mulheres apresentaram escores maiores em esquiva ao dano (P=0,029) e dependência de premiação (P=0,010). Foi observada uma interação significativa entre o sexo e o subtipo sobre os escores de persistência. Enquanto entre os homens o subtipo hiperativo/combinado mostrou-se associado a escores mais altos em persistência, o inverso foi observado no sexo feminino. Este estudo sugere que a avaliação do temperamento pode contribuir na compreensão da heterogeneidade clínica do TDAH. Discussão e conclusões: Os achados deste estudo são coerentes com a literatura examinada, apontando para o papel de variações do temperamento na heterogeneidade do TDAH. / Introduction: Current research on personality assessment presents a growing influence on the understanding of the clinical heterogeneity of psychiatric disorders. Specifically, temperament seems to contribute to the large ADHD variability. Such association is analyzed here as part of a larger project encompassing from genetics to comorbidity and response to treatment in ADHD. Article: This study aims to evaluate temperament dimension scores of TCI in ADHD subtypes in adult subjects. One hundred forty six patients (66 females and 80 males) were self referred by press information on ADHD symptoms. The diagnosis of ADHD was confirmed using DSM-IV criteria and temperament was assessed with the TCI. Patients were separated in two ADHD subtype groups: inattentive (N=52) and hyperactive/combined ones (N=92). Temperament scores were measured by two factors ANOVA analysis (gender and subtype), with age correction. Hyperactive/combined patients scored higher in novelty seeking (P=0.033) while inattentive presented a nonsignificant trend towards higher scores in reward dependence (P=0.064). Comparing genders, females showed higher scores in harm avoidance (P=0.029) and reward dependence (P=0.010). A significant interaction between gender and subtypes was observed in persistence scores. While combined/hyperactive males presented higher persistence scores, the opposite was observed among females. This study suggests that temperament assessment can contribute to the understanding of the clinical heterogeneity in ADHD. Discussion and conclusions: The results of this investigation are coherent with the current literature, pointing towards the role of temperament variability on the heterogeneity of ADHD.

Introdução: O estudo da personalidade apresenta uma influência crescente no entendimento da heterogeneidade de transtornos psiquiátricos. O temperamento em particular parece contribuir para a grande variabilidade do TDAH. Tal associação é examinada neste estudo, fazendo parte de um projeto mais amplo que envolve desde as bases genéticas até a comorbidade e resposta a tratamento do TDAH. Artigo: Este estudo examina escores nas dimensões de temperamento do TCI em subtipos de TDAH em adultos. Cento e quarenta e seis pacientes (66 mulheres e 80 homens) foram recrutados através de informação na imprensa acerca de manifestações do TDAH para um programa de pesquisa. Os diagnósticos de TDAH foram realizados pelo DSM-IV e a avaliação do temperamento teve por base o TCI. Os pacientes foram divididos em dois subtipos de TDAH: desatento (N=52) e hiperativo/combinado (N=92). Os escores de temperamento foram então avaliados em análises de variância de dois fatores (sexo e subtipo), com correção para a idade. Os pacientes do subtipo hiperativo/combinado apresentaram escores mais altos em procura de novidades (P=0,033), enquanto os desatentos, uma tendência não significativa para escores maiores em dependência de premiação (P=0,064). Nas comparações entre os sexos, as mulheres apresentaram escores maiores em esquiva ao dano (P=0,029) e dependência de premiação (P=0,010). Foi observada uma interação significativa entre o sexo e o subtipo sobre os escores de persistência. Enquanto entre os homens o subtipo hiperativo/combinado mostrou-se associado a escores mais altos em persistência, o inverso foi observado no sexo feminino. Este estudo sugere que a avaliação do temperamento pode contribuir na compreensão da heterogeneidade clínica do TDAH. Discussão e conclusões: Os achados deste estudo são coerentes com a literatura examinada, apontando para o papel de variações do temperamento na heterogeneidade do TDAH. / Introduction: Current research on personality assessment presents a growing influence on the understanding of the clinical heterogeneity of psychiatric disorders. Specifically, temperament seems to contribute to the large ADHD variability. Such association is analyzed here as part of a larger project encompassing from genetics to comorbidity and response to treatment in ADHD. Article: This study aims to evaluate temperament dimension scores of TCI in ADHD subtypes in adult subjects. One hundred forty six patients (66 females and 80 males) were self referred by press information on ADHD symptoms. The diagnosis of ADHD was confirmed using DSM-IV criteria and temperament was assessed with the TCI. Patients were separated in two ADHD subtype groups: inattentive (N=52) and hyperactive/combined ones (N=92). Temperament scores were measured by two factors ANOVA analysis (gender and subtype), with age correction. Hyperactive/combined patients scored higher in novelty seeking (P=0.033) while inattentive presented a nonsignificant trend towards higher scores in reward dependence (P=0.064). Comparing genders, females showed higher scores in harm avoidance (P=0.029) and reward dependence (P=0.010). A significant interaction between gender and subtypes was observed in persistence scores. While combined/hyperactive males presented higher persistence scores, the opposite was observed among females. This study suggests that temperament assessment can contribute to the understanding of the clinical heterogeneity in ADHD. Discussion and conclusions: The results of this investigation are coherent with the current literature, pointing towards the role of temperament variability on the heterogeneity of ADHD.

Introdução: O estudo da personalidade apresenta uma influência crescente no entendimento da heterogeneidade de transtornos psiquiátricos. O temperamento em particular parece contribuir para a grande variabilidade do TDAH. Tal associação é examinada neste estudo, fazendo parte de um projeto mais amplo que envolve desde as bases genéticas até a comorbidade e resposta a tratamento do TDAH. Artigo: Este estudo examina escores nas dimensões de temperamento do TCI em subtipos de TDAH em adultos. Cento e quarenta e seis pacientes (66 mulheres e 80 homens) foram recrutados através de informação na imprensa acerca de manifestações do TDAH para um programa de pesquisa. Os diagnósticos de TDAH foram realizados pelo DSM-IV e a avaliação do temperamento teve por base o TCI. Os pacientes foram divididos em dois subtipos de TDAH: desatento (N=52) e hiperativo/combinado (N=92). Os escores de temperamento foram então avaliados em análises de variância de dois fatores (sexo e subtipo), com correção para a idade. Os pacientes do subtipo hiperativo/combinado apresentaram escores mais altos em procura de novidades (P=0,033), enquanto os desatentos, uma tendência não significativa para escores maiores em dependência de premiação (P=0,064). Nas comparações entre os sexos, as mulheres apresentaram escores maiores em esquiva ao dano (P=0,029) e dependência de premiação (P=0,010). Foi observada uma interação significativa entre o sexo e o subtipo sobre os escores de persistência. Enquanto entre os homens o subtipo hiperativo/combinado mostrou-se associado a escores mais altos em persistência, o inverso foi observado no sexo feminino. Este estudo sugere que a avaliação do temperamento pode contribuir na compreensão da heterogeneidade clínica do TDAH. Discussão e conclusões: Os achados deste estudo são coerentes com a literatura examinada, apontando para o papel de variações do temperamento na heterogeneidade do TDAH. / Introduction: Current research on personality assessment presents a growing influence on the understanding of the clinical heterogeneity of psychiatric disorders. Specifically, temperament seems to contribute to the large ADHD variability. Such association is analyzed here as part of a larger project encompassing from genetics to comorbidity and response to treatment in ADHD. Article: This study aims to evaluate temperament dimension scores of TCI in ADHD subtypes in adult subjects. One hundred forty six patients (66 females and 80 males) were self referred by press information on ADHD symptoms. The diagnosis of ADHD was confirmed using DSM-IV criteria and temperament was assessed with the TCI. Patients were separated in two ADHD subtype groups: inattentive (N=52) and hyperactive/combined ones (N=92). Temperament scores were measured by two factors ANOVA analysis (gender and subtype), with age correction. Hyperactive/combined patients scored higher in novelty seeking (P=0.033) while inattentive presented a nonsignificant trend towards higher scores in reward dependence (P=0.064). Comparing genders, females showed higher scores in harm avoidance (P=0.029) and reward dependence (P=0.010). A significant interaction between gender and subtypes was observed in persistence scores. While combined/hyperactive males presented higher persistence scores, the opposite was observed among females. This study suggests that temperament assessment can contribute to the understanding of the clinical heterogeneity in ADHD. Discussion and conclusions: The results of this investigation are coherent with the current literature, pointing towards the role of temperament variability on the heterogeneity of ADHD.

This diploma thesis examines the linkage between -141C Ins/Del polymorphism in dopamine receptor D2 gene and novelty seeking behavior (NSB). Novelty seeking is a personality trait characterized as a tendency to seek out various, complex and intense sensations and experiences at the cost of physical, social, legal, and financial risk. It also appears to be related to the onset of young drug use and aggressive behavior. It has been suggested that there is a relatively high occupancy of dopamine receptors in the brain of individuals with this characteristic feature. Generally, dopamine receptors are extensively studied in relation to many psychiatric diseases or personality disorders. Although there are studies focusing on personality traits such as novelty seeking, subjects of their research are mainly dopamine receptors D1, D3 or D4. Very little is known about dopamine receptor D2 and its relation to NSB despite the fact, that DRD2 is the key negative regulator of dopamine action. Currently, determination of occupancy of dopamine D2 receptors in the brain is possible with positron emission tomography (PET). However, using PET in neuropsychological research is not always financially viable. To date, only few studies associated with PET and NSB vs D2 receptors occupancy have appeared in published...

In light of collated research linking temperament traits and executive performance, the aim of this study is to explore, in a large non-clinical sample, the differences in executive performance profiles among participants with different intensities of the trait Novelty Seeking (NS). A further aim is to establish which facets of NS contribute to these differences. The NS temperament dimension and its subscales were operationalised as scores on the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), which is based on the psychobiological theory of personality. The University of Pennsylvania Computerised Neuropsychological Test Battery (PennCNP) of executive functioning (EF) and abstract reasoning was used to measure participants’ neuropsychological EF. The total sample of participants (n= 461) was divided into high NS (n= 216) and low NS (n= 245) groups to investigate any significant differences between them. Further analysis was then conducted in order to analyse the relationship between the NS scale, the four subscales (Exploratory Excitability, Impulsiveness, Extravagance, and Disorderliness), and performance in executive tasks. The findings of this study indicated significant differences between groups with different intensities of NS, with the high NS group functioning notably better in performance and reaction time. Furthermore, this study showed that facets of NS, such as impulsiveness was a significant contributor to EF performance outcomes. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Psychology / unrestricted