or depressive episode, as a proxy for illness severity, since an earlier AAO typically reflects a more severe form of illness. In this sample, earlier AAO was significantly correlated with an increase in the number of episodes and the frequency of mixed symptoms, suicidal ideation, rapid cycling, and co-morbidity (p<0.001). AAO had a mean of 18.5 (±9.7) years in this sample and was found to have moderately negative correlations (r=−0.14 to −0.31, p<0.001) with all temperaments except hyperthymic. These three factors seem to be important covariates for all but the hyperthymic temperament and were therefore included in the analyses of the significantly correlated temperaments.
