Andrei Evgenievich Litchko was a prominent Soviet and Russian psychiatrist and psychotherapist who left a significant mark in the study of adolescent psychiatry. His most famous contribution to psychology is the concept of character accentuation.
Character accentuation is a personality trait in which individual character traits are particularly strong, reaching extremes, but without crossing the boundaries of the norm. This is not a pathology, but under certain circumstances accentuated traits can lead to mental problems.
Why define character accentuations?
Determination of character accentuations helps in psychological and pedagogical work with adolescents and adults. It allows you to more accurately understand the individual characteristics of the personality, ways of their response to external situations, as well as to predict possible problems in behavior and communication. Knowledge of accentuations helps in correctional work, in the choice of methods of upbringing and education, as well as in the prevention of mental disorders.
Litchko's test
Litchko's test was created in the middle of the XX century. It includes a series of questions, the number of which may vary in different versions of the test. The most common version contains about 80-100 questions. The test is designed for adolescents and adults and allows you to determine the type of personality accentuation. The process of taking the test involves answering questions, which are then analyzed to determine the dominant character traits.
Types of accentuation
A.E. Litchko distinguishes several types of character accentuation:
- Hyperthymic type - characterized by increased vitality, sociability, activity, optimism.
- Cycloid type - characterized by alternating periods of increased activity and cheerfulness with phases of depression and reduced activity.
- Labile type - shows sharp and frequent changes in mood without apparent reasons.
- Astheno-neurotic type - characterized by increased fatigue, irritability, sensitivity to stress.
- Sensitive type - is characterized by increased sensitivity, tendency to self-digging and worrying.
- Psychasthenic type - characterized by a tendency to reflection, indecisiveness, anxiety, tendency to introspection.
- Schizoid type - is characterized by isolation, detachment from emotional contacts, individualism.
- Epileptoid type - is characterized by a tendency to aggression, irascibility, persistence, striving for dominance.
- Hysteroid type - characterized by theatricality of behavior, thirst for attention and recognition, emotional mobility.
- Unstable type - characterized by weak will, a tendency to pleasure and avoidance of responsibility.
- Conform type - characterized by a tendency to imitation, inability to be independent in judgment and behavior.
These types of character accentuation help to understand the unique features of the personality, predict possible problems in behavior and social adaptation, as well as select effective methods of psychological and pedagogical work.
Determine your character accentuation right now!
Most people have signs of several accentuations. This phenomenon is called a mixed type. Take the test and find out what character traits are expressed in you.
