Relationship between Personality and Insomnia in Panic Disorder Patients

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Sleep Medicine
• Personality Psychology

Background:

• Panic disorder (PD) frequently co-occurs with insomnia, potentially worsening panic symptoms and increasing relapse risk.
• Personality traits are implicated in both PD and insomnia, but their specific role in PD-related insomnia is under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between insomnia and specific personality characteristics in patients diagnosed with panic disorder.
• To determine if temperament and character traits influence the presence or severity of insomnia in PD.

Main Methods:

• 101 Korean patients meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for PD were assessed.
• Insomnia was evaluated using specific sleep items from the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17).
• Personality traits were measured using Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised-Short (TCI-RS), with analysis of variance controlling for covariates.

Main Results:

• No significant demographic or clinical differences were found between patients with and without insomnia.
• A high score on novelty seeking 3 (NS3), a temperamental dimension, was significantly associated with initial insomnia (delayed sleep onset).
• No significant association was found between NS3 and middle or terminal insomnia.

Conclusions:

• Elevated NS3 scores are associated with the development of initial insomnia in individuals with panic disorder.
• Temperament and character assessment should be integrated into the evaluation of sleep problems among PD patients.