High novelty-seeking personality traits may increase the risk of relapse after alcohol withdrawal. This discovery is Psychiatric Research Journal.
Alcohol use disorder remains a major public health challenge in France, with millions of people suffering from harmful drinking patterns. Personality traits can shape a person’s vulnerability to addiction, but few studies have investigated how these traits influence recovery in the months following withdrawal. Past research suggests that impulsivity, difficulty regulating emotions, and sensitivity to reward may all contribute to addiction.
The team, led by Anne-Laure Virevialle from the Center Hospitalier Esquirol, aimed to better understand why some people relapse so soon after treatment. Virevialle and colleagues recruited 88 adults undergoing inpatient alcohol withdrawal treatment in a French psychiatric hospital. Participants completed several assessments, including personality questionnaires, desire scales, cognitive tests, and measures of anxiety and depression.
Blood samples were taken to measure carbohydrate-deficient transferrin, a biological marker that reflects recent heavy drinking. The researchers also measured brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein involved in the brain’s ability to adapt and rewire. Three months later, 46 participants returned for follow-up testing.
Researchers analyzed the 76 participants who had complete and usable data and found that 29 had relapsed within three months. Those who relapsed scored higher on novelty seeking, a personality trait associated with impulsivity and the tendency to act quickly without considering consequences. These people also score lower on harm avoidance, meaning they are less sensitive to potential negative outcomes.
Relapsers also exhibit higher self-directedness, a trait typically associated with greater self-control. The authors suggest that this reflects a temporary increase in confidence during inpatient treatment rather than long-term resilience. They write, “The situation of hospitalization may temporarily strengthen self-esteem and self-efficacy through social recognition and structured support.”
Researchers used statistical modeling to identify the strongest predictors of recurrence, and novelty seeking stood out. Although it explained only about one-fifth of the variation in recurrence outcome, it was the most reliable single factor. This suggests that certain characteristics can shape a person’s recovery trajectory over time.
The study also investigated how personality traits are related to craving, mood, and cognition. People who were high in harm avoidance and alexithymia, which has difficulty identifying and expressing emotions, reported stronger cravings. Depression and anxiety were also more common among those high in harm avoidance and low in self-orientation.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor increased over 3 months in both relapsers and non-relapsers. This increase is expected during brain recovery if patients refrain or reduce their alcohol intake. However, there were no significant differences in these protein levels between the two groups at 3 months, suggesting that they are not reliable predictors of recurrence per se.
Researchers believe these findings will help doctors tailor treatment to individual patients. “This study highlights the need to develop a holistic assessment of the individual for individualized care, as motivation for change regarding alcohol also requires management of psychiatric comorbidities, taking into account the individual’s personality profile,” the authors concluded.
This study has several limitations, including a high dropout rate. Almost half of the original participants did not return for follow-up, potentially skewing the final results. Craving scores were also unusually low, likely because the initial assessment was conducted in a protected inpatient setting.
The study, “Personality traits and cravings in patients receiving alcohol withdrawal treatment,” was authored by Anne-Laure Villeviard, Benjamin Calvet, Muriel Girard, Mirvat Hamdan-Dumont, Alexandra Fouché, Brigitte Planson, Aurélie Lacroix, and Philippe Nubukpo.
