PhD Scientific Days 2022

Mental Health Sciences II. (Poster discussion will take place in the Aula during the Coffee Break)

Meta-analysis Suggests that Affective Temperaments May Predict Treatment Adherence Both in Psychiatric and Non-psychiatric Patients

Text of the abstract

Background: Among risk factors for treatment non-adherence, there is growing interest in associations with affective temperament types, particularly based on assessment with the Temperament evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego (TEMPS-A) questionnaire.
Aim: As research on this topic has not been reviewed systematically, we synthesized relevant, reported research findings and performed meta-analysis.
Methods: Systematic searching on Scopus, WoS, OVID MedLine and PubMed using the search term "TEMPS-A" AND (adherence OR compliance) identified peer-reviewed reports pertaining to associations of treatment adherence with affective temperament types evaluated with TEMPS-A self rating scale. We summarized available findings and applied quantitative meta-analytic methods to compare scale scores in non-adherent versus adherent subjects. Reports that provided quantitative data both for the specific affective temperament types (TEMPS-A subscales) and for treatment adherence or compliance measures (MMAS, MARS or other), and also the association between them were included in the analysis. No restrictions on study design, participants age or treatment type were made. Findings of associations of TEMPS-A scores and treatment adherence were evaluated to test the hypothesis that significantly different TEMPS-A subcale ratings would be found among subjects with high adherence from among low adherence subjects under matched circumstances. Data was analyzed by random-effects, meta-analytic pooling based on standardized mean differences (SMDs) in scores between adherent and non-adherent subjects. Meta-analytic findings are reported as pooled-SMDs with confidence intervals. All statistical analyses were implemented using R package metaphor v.3.0.
Results: Based on 9 studies meeting inclusion criteria (total n=1138 subjects), cyclothymic, depressive, and irritable temperament scores were significantly higher with medication non-adherence in both psychiatric and non-psychiatric patient samples compared to adherent samples. Limitations: Relatively low number of eligible studies and high level of methodological heterogeneity in adherence measurement.
Conclusions: Cyclothymic, depressive, and irritable temperament scores might have a potential predictive value on treatment adherence and therefore on overall treatment outcome as a consequence.