Abstract

Objective: In our study temperaments,characters and general psychopathology of adults applied to smoking quitting outpatient clinics and nonsmoking control group were compared; relation between quitting and general psychopathology, severity of addiction was aimed to be determined.
Material and Method: 68 adults between 18-65 of age diagnosed as Nicotine Dependent according to DSM-IV criteria who applied to smoking outpatient clinics for quitting smoking were taken to the study. Social demographic form, a semistructrured form formed by researchers to get information related to cigarette smoking, Fagerstorm nicotine dependence test, symptom control list (SCL-90R), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) and Temperament and Character Inventory were given to the study group. Data was analyzed with SPSS 17.00. 6 months later patients were called to assess whether they were smoking or not. Temperaments, characters, general psychopathology and severity of addiction of quitting and nonquitting group were determined.
Results: In smoking group SCL (Somatization), SCL (Depression), SCL (Anxiety), SCL (Hostility), SCL (Additional items), SCL (Phobia) and SCL general assessment scores were significantly high. Total NS (Novelty seeking), total HA (Harm Avoidance) scores of smoking group, total S (Self Directedness), total P (Persistence), total C (Cooperativeness) scores of control group were significantly high. ST (Self Transcendence) and RD (Reward dependence) scores were similiar between groups. Severe and mild nicotine addicts were similiar in terms of temperament and character traits. There was no significant difference between smoking quitting and nonquitting groups in terms of psychopathology. There was no relation between quitting and severity of addiction.
Conclusion: Detailed psychiatric assessments of nicotine addicts who apply for treatment should be done and personalized treatments should be planned according to their temperament and character traits.

Key words: Nicotine dependency, psychopathology, temperament, character