Temperament and character in relation to sick leave duration in mentally disordered outpatients-the downside of novelty seeking and cooperativeness

In 1254 mentally disordered outpatients (941 women, 313 men) length of sick leave in the preceding 12 months was documented (median 2 weeks) and axis I and axis II disorder (SCID screening, clinical interview), psychological distress (SCL-90-R), work-related distress and personality (Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI)) were assessed. Compared to healthy controls (N=152) patients scored lower on self-directedness and higher on harm avoidance. Longer incapacitated patients were more often female. On the basis of absence duration (<2 weeks; ≥2<4 weeks; ≥4 weeks) male and female patients were analysed separately. Main findings showed that women longer on sick leave scored significantly higher on novelty seeking and cooperativeness. Further analysis yielded a significant contribution of personality dimensions, including novelty seeking and cooperativeness to work-related distress in women, explaining 21.5% of variance. An association between lower formal education, older age and duration of work incapacity could only be confirmed in male patients. Personality-based difficulties in adequate distancing from professional demands, as well as personality-based problems in interpersonal conflict management, are discussed as possible explanations for study findings.