A study of the relationship between impulsiveness and obsessiveness in the general population. Inconsistency of the idea of the spectrum.

INTRODUCTION: The obsessivity and the impulsivity as personality traits have been object of few studies on the general population. The authors outline as objective to study if such features are co-existing constructs, as advocate some authors or the opposite extremes of a continuum as assert other. MATERIAL AND METHODS: They are studied the answers to a questionnaire on obsessive traits of the personality (MIRAP) and other referred to the impulsivity as trait, also, (ECIRYC) of a random sample of 418 subject extracted of the general population. They are applied multivariate statistic analysis technical (Factorial Analysis, Correspondence Analysis, and linear Regression Analysis) to establish the type of relationship that have the two studied personality traits. RESULTS: The total scores of the MIRAP and the ECIRYC are correlated of a manner statistically significant (r = .39; p< .01). The Correspondence Analysis of those total scores distributed in deciles and two linear Regression Analysis show, also, a direct relationship between both traits that it is statistically significant. The obsessivity and the impulsivity do not correlate with the principal factor of the opposite trait. All the factors of both traits are grouped mutually in a factor in a positive way, except the impulsive factor "haste" that makes it negatively with the obsessive factor "order". CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the obsessivity and the impulsivity, as personality traits, they are constructs convergent and not opposite poles of a continuum. But, simultaneously, one of the five factors of each trait ("haste" and "order"), yes are behaved as opposite extremes of a continuum, within conceptual framework, wider, of the traits to those which belong.

Un estudio de la relación entre impulsividad y obsesividad en la población general. Inconsistencia de la idea del espectro / A study of the relationship between impulsiveness and obsessivity in the general population. Inconsistency of the idea of the spectrum

Introducción. La obsesividad y la impulsividad como rasgos de la personalidad han sido objeto de pocos estudios sobre la población general. Los autores plantean como objetivo estudiar si tales rasgos son constructos coexistentes, como abogan algunos autores o los polos opuestos de un continuum como afirman otros. Material y Métodos. Se estudian las respuestas a un cuestionario sobre rasgos obsesivos de la personalidad (MIRAP) y otro referido a la impulsividad como rasgo (ECIR y C) de 418 sujetos extraídos al azar de la población general. Se aplican técnicas de análisis estadístico multivariantes (Análisis Factorial, Análisis de Correspondencias, Análisis de Regresión lineal) para establecer el tipo de relación que tienen los dos rasgos estudiados. Resultados. Las puntuaciones totales del MIRAP y la ECIR y C correlacionan de un modo estadísticamente significativo(r=0,39; p<0,01). El Análisis de Correspondencias de esas puntuaciones totales distribuidas en deciles y dos Análisis de Regresión lineal muestran, también, una relación directa entre ambos rasgos que es estadísticamente significativa. La obsesividad y la impulsividad no correlacionan con el principal factor del rasgo opuesto. Todos los factores de ambos rasgos se agrupan factorialmente entre sí de forma positiva, excepto el factor impulsivo “precipitación” que lo hace negativamente con el factor obsesivo “orden”. Conclusiones. Nuestros resultados señalan que la obsesividad y la impulsividad, como rasgos de la personalidad, son constructos convergentes y no polos opuestos de un continuum. Pero, simultáneamente, uno de los factores de cada rasgo (“precipitación” y “orden”), entre cinco, sí se comportan como polos opuestos de un continuum, dentro del marco conceptual, más amplio, de los rasgos a los que pertenecen (AU)

Introduction. The obsessivity and the impulsivity as personality traits have been object of few studies on the general population. The authors outline as objective to study if such features are co-existing constructs, as advocate some authors or the opposite extremes of a continuum as assert other. Material and Methods. They are studied the answers to a questionnaire on obsessive traits of the personality (MIRAP) and other referred to the impulsivity as trait, also, (ECIRYC) of a random sample of 418 subject extracted of the general population. They are applied multivariate statistic analysis technical (Factorial Analysis, Correspondence Analysis, and linear Regression Analysis) to establish the type of relationship that have the two studied personality traits. Results. The total scores of the MIRAP and the ECIRYC are correlated of a manner statistically significant(r = 0.39; p< 0.01). The Correspondence Analysis of those total scores distributed in deciles and two linear Regression Analysis show, also, a direct relationship between both traits that it is statistically significant. The obsessivity and the impulsivity do not correlate with the principal factor of the opposite trait. All the factors of both traits are grouped mutually in a factor in a positive way, except the impulsive factor “haste” that makes it negatively with the obsessive factor “order”. Conclusions. Our results indicate that the obsessivity and the impulsivity, as personality traits, they are constructs convergent and not opposite poles of a continuum. But, simultaneously, one of the five factors of each trait (“haste” and “order”), yes are behaved as opposite extremes of a continuum, within conceptual framework, wider, of the traits to those which belong (AU)