Bipolar disorder, unipolar depression and the Five-Factor Model of Personality

We examined differences between personality characteristics of euthymic bipolar disorder patients (ED) (n = 34) and recovered unipolar depressed patients (UD) (n = 74) using the taxonomy of the Five-Factor Model of personality (FFM) as measured by composite scales derived from the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO PI) and the revised NEO PI (NEO PI-R). Euthymic ED patients scored significantly higher on the Openness (O) dimension and the Positive Emotions facet of the E dimension than did recovered UD patients. For O, euthymic ED patients scored higher on the Feelings facet. These results suggest not only that euthymic ED patients are more likely to experience positive affects than recovered UD patients, but also that euthymic ED patients are more receptive to their positive and negative feelings than are recovered UD patients.