A comparison study of the big five personality characteristics in patients with first-episode, treatment-naive major depressive disorder / 中国神经精神疾病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the big five personality characteristics of the first-episode, treatment-naive major depressive disorder. Method Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) was used to assess the personality. A comparison was conducted between 112 first-episode, treatment-naive major depressive disorder (MDD) patients and 99 sex-, age- and education level-matched healthy controls (HC). The Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) was used to evaluate patients’symptom. Result Compared with HC, the neuroticism score in MDD group was significantly higher, while the extraversion, openness, agreeableness and conscientiousness were significantly lower. Lo?gistic regression analysis showed that MDD was significantly associated with higher neuroticism (OR=1.106, 95%CI:1.029~1.189, P=0.006) and lower extraversion (OR=0.809, 95%CI: 0.733~0.893, P<0.001) and agreeableness (OR=0.870, 95%CI:0.794~0.953, P=0.003). Linear regression showed that the HAMD score was significantly associated with higher neuroticism (B=0.121, P=0.003). The onset age of MDD was significantly associated with conscientiousness (B=0.015, P=0.001). Conclusion This study confirms that the personality of MDD is different from HC. Higher neuroticism is an important personality facets in treatment-naive patients with first-episode MDD. The low conscientiousness might associate with early age of depression onset.