Development and validation of the Combined Emotional and Affective Temperament Scale (CEATS): Towards a brief self-rated instrument

Background ament relates to both emotional dimensions and prevailing mood, but these different views are rarely integrated. Based on a model where temperament works as a system with activation, inhibition and control (inspired in Cloningerʹs and Rothbartʹs models), which produce the affective tone (inspired by Akiskalʹs and Kraepelinʹs model), we developed and validated the Combined Emotional and Affective Temperament Scale (CEATS). s ubjects (28% males) from the general population and university students filled in the instrument either in the Internet or in a pen and paper version. The CEATS has an emotional section (dimensional only), an Affective section (both dimensional and categorical) and an evaluation of problems and benefits related to temperament. The data was analyzed with standard psychometric batteries and different sections were compared. s emotional section, 4 factors with Eingenvalue > 1 explained 46% of the variation. These factors were interpreted as drive, control, disinhibition-fear and anger, had a normal distribution and had satisfactory Chronbachʹs alphas (0.70–0.82). Anger was particularly associated with problems and drive with benefits. In the Affective section, all 10 categorical affective temperaments were selected, being euthymic and hyperthymic the most prevalent (18–23%), followed by cyclothymic and irritable (11–13%), anxious and depressive (8–9%) and dysphoric, disinhibited, labile and apathetic temperaments (3–7%). The dimensional evaluation of affective temperaments showed 95% of the sample was able to ascribe to at least one affective temperament. Only the euthymic and hyperthymic temperaments were clearly associated with a favorable problem/benefit profile. The comparison between the emotional and affective sections revealed that each affective temperament had a particular emotional configuration. tions omputerized and pen and paper versions were used. The sample was not evaluated for psychiatric symptoms. Quantification of the dimensional assessment of affective temperament is limited. sions ATS is a brief and adequate instrument to evaluate emotional and affective aspects of temperament simultaneously.