Review article

THE ROLE OF PERSONALITY TRAITS IN POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)

Nenad Jakšić orcid.org/0000-0002-5286-720X ; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia
Lovorka Brajković ; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia
Ena Ivezić ; Psychiatric Hospital “Sveti Ivan”, Zagreb, Croatia
Radmila Topić ; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia
Miro Jakovljević ; Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Background: A number of studies have shown that although exposure to potentially traumatic events is common, development of
PTSD is relatively rare, which is one of the reasons PTSD still remains a controversial psychiatric entity. The aim of this article was
to provide an overview of the research on the role of personality traits in the vulnerability, resilience, posttraumatic growth and
expressions associated with PTSD. Personality based approach represents a dimensional aspect of the transdisciplinary integrative
model of PTSD.
Methods: We conducted a systematic search on PubMed, PsycINFO, and Academic Search Complete from 1980 (the year PTSD
was first included in the DSM) and 2012 (the year the literature search was performed). Manual examination of secondary sources
such as the reference sections of selected articles and book chapters were also conducted.
Results: Most of the reviewed studies dealing with personality traits as vulnerability and protective factors for PTSD examined
the relationship between basic personality dimensions and severity of symptoms of PTSD. These studies have applied three types of
methodological designs: cross-sectional, post-trauma and pre-trauma longitudinal studies, with latter being the least common
option.
Conclusion: Finding that appears relatively consistent is that PTSD is positively related to negative emotionality, neuroticism,
harm avoidance, novelty-seeking and self-transcendence, as well as to trait hostility/anger and trait anxiety. On the other hand,
PTSD symptoms are negatively associated with extraversion, conscientiousness, self-directedness, the combination of high positive
and low negative emotionality, as well as with hardiness and optimism, while posttraumatic growth shows inverse relation to most of these traits. Furthermore, a number of studies have confirmed the existance of three distinct personality-based subtypes of PTSD:
internalizing, externalizing and low pathology PTSD. These findings may help in further uncovering etiological mechanisms and in
building new strategies for prevention, identification and reduction of health risks among this trauma population, as well as
facilitating potential posttraumatic growth. However, focusing on just a single dimensional perspective will unable us to generate
comprehensive knowledge of the etiology, course and treatment of PTSD.

Keywords

posttraumatic stress disorder; PTSD; personality; vulnerability; resilience; expression

Hrčak ID:

106234

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/106234

Publication date:

24.9.2012.

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