Person-oriented Approach in Examining Chinese-Hungarian Personality and Affective Disorder Profiles

Our Chinese-Hungarian crosscultural research aimed to apply a person-oriented approach on examining patterns of cultural, personality and affective disorder variables.

Our sample consisted of 238 Chinese and 167 Hungarian university students under the age of 26 years old. 238 Chinese university students (112 males, 126 females; mean age: 19.55, SD: 1.60) and 167 Hungarian University students (65 males and 100 females; mean age: 20.47, SD: 1.83) participated in our research. All individuals were under 26 years old. No gender (χ²(df=1)=2.32, p=0.127)) and no age differences between countries were observed. We analyzed in person-oriented approach the Zuckerman-Kuhlman-Aluja Personality Questionnaire, the universal values scale of Schwartz and three affective disorder questionnaires (Mood Disorder Questionnaire, Hypomania checklist, PVP Depression Scale).

We applied model-based clustering that resulted in a model with five spherical, varying volume components. This meant that five clusters emerged, five typical patterns of the cultural, personality and affective variables. Significant cultural difference arose (χ²(df=4)=79.489, p<0.000)) in cluster proportions. In three clusters, proportion of Chinese was significantly higher than proportion (Overcontrolled: 82.6%, Reserved: 71.1%, Ordinary: 60.5%) of Hungarian. In the two remaining clusters, majority were Hungarian (Positive Sensation Seeker: 90.0%, Aggressive-Impulsive: 80.4%). Moreover, different psychiatric vulnerability emerge in relation to different profiles. Profiles that are more typical to Hungarians, have high sensation seeking level, and show vulnerability to hypomania, mood disorder and impulsive depression. On the other hand, typical Chinese profiles are linked to vulnerability of non-impulsive depression.

In sum, culture and cultural values play an important role in the vulnerability of different affective disorders. These differences can be linked to different typical personality patterns.