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A test of the vulnerability model: temperament and temperament change as predictors of future mental disorders – the TRAILS study
Author(s) -
Laceulle Odilia M.,
Ormel Johan,
Vollebergh Wilma A. M.,
Aken Marcel A.G.,
Nederhof Esther
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/jcpp.12141
Subject(s) - temperament , psychology , mental health , vulnerability (computing) , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , psychiatry , personality , social psychology , computer security , computer science
Background This study aimed to test the vulnerability model of the relationship between temperament and mental disorders using a large sample of adolescents from the TR acking Adolescents Individual Lives' Survey ( TRAILS ). The vulnerability model argues that particular temperaments can place individuals at risk for the development of mental health problems. Importantly, the model may imply that not only baseline temperament predicts mental health problems prospectively, but additionally, that changes in temperament predict corresponding changes in risk for mental health problems. Methods Data were used from 1195 TRAILS participants. Adolescent temperament was assessed both at age 11 and at age 16. Onset of mental disorders between age 16 and 19 was assessed at age 19, by means of the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview ( WHO CIDI ). Results Results showed that temperament at age 11 predicted future mental disorders, thereby providing support for the vulnerability model. Moreover, temperament change predicted future mental disorders above and beyond the effect of basal temperament. For example, an increase in frustration increased the risk of mental disorders proportionally. Conclusion This study confirms, and extends, the vulnerability model. Consequences of both temperament and temperament change were general (e.g., changes in frustration predicted both internalizing and externalizing disorders) as well as dimension specific (e.g., changes in fear predicted internalizing but not externalizing disorders). These findings confirm previous studies, which showed that mental disorders have both unique and shared underlying temperamental risk factors.