Factor analysis of the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List: A separation of positive and negative affect.

To examine the factor structure of the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List (MAACL), it was administered to 443 undergraduates. The correlations among the MAACL Anxiety, Depression, and Hostility scales ranged from .72 to .82. Principal-components factor analysis of the MAACL adjectives yielded 2 large unipolar factors. Factor 1 was defined by negative adjectives and Factor 2 by positive adjectives from all 3 MAACL scales. Possible explanations for the emergence of these 2 factors involved both the independence of positive and negative affect and the differential effects of response set on endorsement of positive and negative adjectives. Findings are discussed in terms of the discriminant validity of the MAACL and the appropriateness of its use in current research. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Selecting representative trait adjectives.

Suggests that a strong argument has been made for specifying the possible characteristics of personality by using trait adjectives from the natural language. This argument implies a rationale for the selection of variables to measure personality characteristics. One should select variables to be representative of trait adjectives in the natural language. 571 terms were classified into categories, and scales were selected to represent the categories. Judges made ratings of similarity of meaning on 57 scales—each defined by 2 opposite trait-adjectives—for the corresponding 114 single terms. Factor analysis of the scales produced 6 factors. These showed some resemblance to the well-known Big Five factors (E. C. Tupes and R. E. Christal, 1961), but with major differences. Instead of 5 factors of comparable size, the first 3 factors were predominant, representing 70% of the total variance. The Culture factor appeared as Intelligence; Emotional Stability as a small, only partly differentiated, factor. (16 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cross-sectional and longitudinal comparisons of bipolar and unipolar depressed groups on the MMPI.

Compared MMPI admission and remission profiles in 34 patients (17 bipolar and 17 unipolar) hospitalized for depression. There were no significant demographic differences or difference in behaviorally rated depression between the bipolar and unipolar groups. Relatively normal profiles for the bipolar group and abnormal profiles for the unipolar group significantly differentiated the 2 groups at admission, but, with 1 exception, the differences dissipated at recovery. Thus, greater changes over time were found in the self-reported personality characteristics of unipolar Ss than in bipolar Ss. After recovery from the depressive episode, there was a significant shift within unipolar Ss from withdrawal and lack of interest in others to a greater concern for socially approved behavior. The implications of change in the unipolar group and stability in the bipolar group and the more enduring personality characteristics of the 2 groups are discussed. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A factor analysis of? scores.

17 True-False (T-F) and forced-choice (F-C) personality and attitude scales were administered to 130 students. Each scale was scored for the number of evasive of? responses. All of the? scores had a high degree of internal consistency as measured by Kuder-Richardson Formula 21 estimates of internal consistency. The? scores were intercorrelated and the correlation matrix factor analyzed. Factor I, which accounted for 60.68% of the total variance, was interpreted as the tendency to give evasive responses to items in a T-F format. Factor II, which accounted for 16.38% of the total variance, was interpreted as the tendency to give evasive response to personality items in an F-C format. The third factor, which accounted for 5.62% of the total variance, was interpreted as the tendency to give evasive responses to the T-F items dealing with beliefs, opinions, and moral precepts. The probability of an evasive response to an item was found to be unrelated to the social desirability scale value of the item. (18 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Issues in dimensional structure of affect—Effects of descriptors, measurement error, and response formats: Comment on Russell and Carroll (1999).

In their article "On the Bipolarity of Positive and Negative Affect," J. A. Russell and J. M. Carroll (1999; see record 1998-03256-001) correctly noted that several factors—including the use of a strictly unipolar item response format—can obscure the underlying bipolarity of certain positive and negative affect pairs. However, some of their other conclusions require clarification. First, bipolarity is evident even in uncorrected data obtained with unipolar formats. Second, polychoric correlations and appropriate item-analytic models can circumvent problems that may be associated with unipolar scales; consequently, it is unnecessary (and undesirable) to use bipolar formats in affect assessment. Third, no evidence supports their claim that general mood ratings are less valid than other measures of long-term affect. Finally, aspects of their circumplex model are not well supported by the data; in its place, the authors suggest a more inclusive 3-level hierarchical structure. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical characteristics of unipolar and bipolar depression

INTRODUCTION: In the last decades affective disorders were divided into unipolar and bipolar and this division has been generally accepted. The bipolar type is manifested by mania or by both mania and depression. On the other hand, unipolar affective disorders are manifested only by depression. In numerous investigations authors have noticed that there are very distinctive differences between these two types of depressive disorders such as: course of illness, personality disorders, sex, family history etc. Nevertheless, in practice it is often very difficult to make the right diagnosis. The bipolar type often starts with a few pure depressive episodes and sometimes mania occurs a few years later so only at that point the psychiatrist can make the right diagnosis and treat the patient correctly. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This investigation comprised 50 patients hospitalized at the Psychiatric Clinic in Novi Sad during 1992-1995. The experimental group consisted of 20 patients with a bipolar affective disorder (according to ICD-X), while the control group consisted of 30 patients with clinical diagnosis of unipolar depression (intensive, without psychiatric features). Both groups of patients were weekly evaluated by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), whereas the initial score for all patients had to be higher than 16. RESULTS: Patients suffering from unipolar depression were older than patients with bipolar depression and there were more females in this group. There were no differences in demographic characteristics (level of education, migration, etc.), but the experimental group had a greater genetic loading for affective disorders. Unipolar depressive patients had more agitation and they were more anxious than patients with bipolar depression. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The fact that unipolar depressive patients were older than bipolar is similar to most of the results gained in this kind of investigation. On the other hand, we did not find statistical differences in the intensity of disorders, and in the literature these results are contraindicating. Numerous investigators report that bipolar depressives had a stronger genetic loading for affective disorders and our study confirms the same. All these results can help us to make the right diagnosis of unipolar and bipolar affective disorders.     

A comparative study of novice nuns and college females using the response set approach.

The vastly different type of life chosen by novice nuns and college females suggested personality differences which were thought likely to be reflected in response style. Accordingly, 40 Ss in each group were asked to rate each of the Rorschach inkblots on 21 semantic differential scales. It was found that the nuns generally rated the inkblots toward the more positive extreme of the evaluation scales and at times toward the more potent extreme of the potency scales. The generality of this tendency was assessed by comparing the social desirability (SD) ratings of 28 nuns to those of 28 college females. It was again found that the nuns tended toward more extreme ratings. The introduction of the SD dimension resulted not only in more positively extreme ratings on adjectives ordinarily rated positively, but also more negaitvely extreme ratings on adjectives ordinarily rated as negative. Nuns were more variable than college females in rating nearly neutral adjectives. It was concluded that these tendency differences might be used as a basis for later prediction studies. (24 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Cattell, Comrey, and Eysenck personality factors compared: More evidence for the five robust factors?

We administered the Cattell 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF), the Comrey Personality Scales (CPS), and the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) to a sample of 669 Australians that was controlled in composition for age, sex, and social class. Factor analyses derived from analyzing scales of the three inventories in the same matrix produced a group of factors that were similar to the five robust factors of personality found in studies that used ratings by others. Two of the factors were similar to the two EPI scales and five were similar to five of the eight CPS scales. One of these five factors was similar to a single 16PF scale. The 16PF scales were highly overlapping and factorially complex, an indication that fewer than 16 separate constructs are measured at the primary level. There were, however, clear relations between the five factors and the second-order factor structure of the 16PF, as Karson and O'Dell (1976) described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Abnormal G protein alpha(s) - and alpha(i2)-subunit mRNA expression in bipolar affective disorder

Disturbances of events associated with intracellular signaling pathways have been suspected of involvement in the development or progression of affective disorders. Often, heterotrimeric G proteins are located at the beginning of these pathways as modulators of extracellular messages. For this reason, messenger RNA expression of three G protein alpha-subunits and of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI-3 K) regulatory subunit p85 was examined in granulocytes from patients with bipolar or unipolar affective disorder and compared to healthy controls. Messenger RNA expression of the G protein subunit alpha(q) and of p85 was identical in unipolar and bipolar patients and in controls. Furthermore, mRNAs of G protein subunits alpha(s) and alpha(i2) were not different in unipolar patients as compared to healthy controls. Alpha(s) mRNA, however, was markedly increased in bipolar patients. This increase was observed in lithium-treated (more than 12 months) and in unmedicated patients. Elevated levels of alpha(i2) mRNA in unmedicated bipolar patients did not reach statistical significance, whereas mRNA in bipolar patients receiving lithium was significantly above controls. Finally, long-term medication of unipolar patients with lithium had no influence on alpha(i2) mRNA levels. The data reveal elevated mRNA levels of G alpha(s) as a robust feature of bipolar affective disorder. Moreover, despite responsiveness of alpha(i2) gene expression to cAMP-related events, no substantial upregulation of alpha(i2) mRNA was observed in bipolar patients. The lack of alpha(i2) mRNA upregulation, hence, could be an additional abnormality in these patients. Even though lithium was able to reinstate this upregulation, there was no feedback downregulation of alpha(s). This strongly supports the notion of major disturbances of the cAMP signaling system in bipolar illness.     

Further specification of the five robust factors of personality.

Factor analysis of teacher ratings of 499 6th graders on 43 adjectives (e.g., curious, fearful) supported a 5-factor model of personality trait information. The factors are interpreted as reflecting introversion–extraversion, conscience-governed concern for others, will, anxiety, and intellect. A weak 6th factor related to creativity was also observed. Findings are discussed in relation to the existence of additional factors, the possibility that the correlations reflect the language used by raters rather than behavioral traits, and the potential utility of the ratings. The relation of the 5 robust factors to theories of interpersonal relations, H. J. Eysenck's (1953) 3-factor model, R. B. Catell's (1947) multiple-factor system, and studies of the semantic meaning of personality terms is also considered. (65 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Identifying chronic affective disorders in outpatients: Validation of the General Behavior Inventory.

The validity of the General Behavior Inventory (GBI) in screening outpatients for chronic unipolar and bipolar affective conditions was evaluated. The GBI was administered to 492 consecutive patients at a university clinic and a community mental health center. Using a stratified random sampling plan, 167 patients were selected and administered blind structured diagnostic interviews. In addition, unipolar depressives were followed up 6 months after the initial evaluation. Overall, the GBI exhibited fair-to-good positive predictive power and good-to-excellent negative predictive power. In addition, GBI scores in the case range were consistently associated with poor outcome at the 6-month follow-up. These findings suggest that the GBI may provide an economical means of screening for chronic unipolar and bipolar affective conditions in outpatient settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Empirically derived characteristics of psychiatric inpatients with DSM-III diagnoses of schizophreniform disorder.

165 18–50 yr old active-duty military, male, psychiatric inpatients with DSM-III diagnoses of schizophreniform disorder (n?=?71), schizophrenia (n?=?40), bipolar disorder—manic type (n?=?25), and unipolar depression (n?=?29) were compared on a variety of demographic, behavioral, and personality (MMPI) measures to determine the unique characteristics of schizophreniform disorder. Schizophreniform and schizophrenic Ss did not differ on any of the demographic or behavioral measures, but they differed significantly on the MMPI when age was controlled for by means of multivariate ANCOVA. Conversely, schizophreniform and bipolar manic Ss differed on the demographic correlates and on 1 behavioral measure (i.e., hyperactivity) but failed to differ on the MMPI. Schizophreniform and unipolar Ss, on the other hand, differed widely on all 3 sets of correlates. It is suggested that some schizophreniform patients will likely satisfy the criteria for schizophrenia if the diagnostician waits long enough (i.e., 6 mo). (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)