J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2006 Jan;45(1):77-82.

Temperament and Character Patterns of Patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

• Jang WS
• Hong SD
• Joung Y

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study is to compare temperament/character patterns of patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorders with normal controls.
METHODS
The Junior Temperament and Character Inventory was given to a clinical sample of one hundred-four patients with ADHD (all male, mean age 10.46+/-1.45) and their parents. The diagnoses were done using DSM-IV criteria. Fifty ones of the patients with ADHD were confirmed by K-SADS-PL-K. One hundred forty four normal controls (all male, mean age 13.26+/-0.26) and their parents were enrolled to compare temperament and character patterns with ADHD patients.
RESULTS
Novelty seeking was significantly higher in parental JTCI of patients with ADHD. Reward dependence, persistence, self directedness, cooperativeness and self transcendence (ST23) were significantly lower in both self and parental JTCI of patients with ADHD. Using K-SADS-PL-K, ADHD patients were divided into three groups with their ADHD subtype (combined type: 32, inattentive type: 11, NOS type: 7). Self transcendence (ST23) in self JTCI was significantly lower in ADHD patients of the inattentive type than those of the combined type.
CONCLUSION
The temperament and character patterns of ADHD patients were different from those of normal controls. Novelty seeking was significantly higher in the ADHD patients. Reward dependence, persistence, self directedness, cooperativeness, self transcendence (ST23) were significantly lower in the ADHD patients.

Keyword

Temperament; ADHD; JTCI

MeSH Terms

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity*
Diagnosis
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Humans
Male
Parents
Reward
Temperament*