Harm Avoidance (HA) is a temperamental trait referring to a
heritable tendency characterized by inhibition of behaviour as a
response to signals of punishment and frustrative non-reward. HA
is related to other personality associated constructs of negative
affect such as neuroticism [4] and negative affectivity [5]. Several
studies have shown the association between HA and depression
[6–9] and anxiety disorders [9–13]. However, depressive patients
have shown state dependent changes in HA scores indicating that
HA may have both trait and state dependent characters [14–16].
Richter and colleagues reported that the two subscales of HA, the
HA2 Fear of Uncertainty and the HA4 Fatigability were elevated
in patients with recurrent depression suggesting their role as a
possible risk factor for persistence of depression [17].